


Savage Days Season 2: When the Seasons Change

by LordKraus



Series: Savage Days [2]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Adoption, Betrayal, Consequences, Drug trafficking, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Kit Trafficking, Marriage, Nightmares, Police Procedural, Porn With Plot, Protectiveness, Savage Nick Wilde, Seriously this is WildeHopps, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 23:41:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 190,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16274768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordKraus/pseuds/LordKraus
Summary: Karma, she can be both cruel and benevolent. Nick and Judy struggles with the consequences of season one. Can they track down Martin and bring him to justice or will the consequences cause the couple to take their lives in a new direction?





	1. Episode 1: A Bunny Can Go Savage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First thanks to lilwashu76 who has agreed to keep working with me on this series. 
> 
> Next, thank you to LionKingAlex who named Martin "The Stripe" Flannigan, while it was my wife who came up with the idea of using a Zebra as the big bad. Alex named him.
> 
> Third, for all those that are joining me for season two, thank you! I hope you enjoy season two just as much as some of you enjoyed season one. 
> 
> Lastly, thanks to my wife and friends who have had to endure hours of me talking about this for the last several months.

# Episode 1: A Bunny Can Go Savage

  
  
“Wake me up when this is over  
I'm tired of living life like it's a dream  
Please wake me up when it's all over  
I'm tired of living right here in between  
I refuse”  
I Refuse ~ Five Finger Death Punch  
  
Judy’s heart rate had slowed considerably. Her mind still raced with _“How?”_ All the other savage mammals had utterly lost control. But Nick….. While his eyes had changed, and he prowled on all fours, Nick still seemed to be in there.  
  
Nick had tucked his nose between her ears; she could feel his warm breath wash over the top of her head. His chest rumbled with a soft rolling purr; the air around her vibrated with it.  
  
Judy’s ears perked up as she heard the faint sounds of footfalls in the hall above. She lifted her head slightly looking up. She could see Nick’s right ear turned toward the entrance of the museum.  
  
“Hopps, Wilde?” a voice sounded out. “Hello?”  
  
“ I smell blood, Fangs,” a second voice said.  
  
“I told you not to call me that unless you wanted my foot up your…”  
  
“Well, you let Nick…”  
  
“Fangmeyer?” Judy called out as she recognized Nick’s nickname for the tigress detective. She looked at Nick as his purr stopped. His eyes remained closed.  
  
“Hopps, where are you?” Fangmeyer called out.  
  
“Down in the exhibit; we need EMS, and probably the coroner, as well.”  
  
Fangmeyer approached the edge of the exhibit slowly, the smell of blood becoming denser in the air as she approached. “Hopps, where’s Wilde?”  
  
“He’s here with me. I think he’s been hit with Nighthowler,” Judy said matter-of-factly.  
  
Fangmeyer looked down into the exhibit. Blood splattered the artificial grass on one side of the exhibit. Close to her laid Nick and Judy, the fox wrapped protectively around the rabbit. While his eyes were closed, she could feel a general sense of unease around him, as if at any moment he would spring into motion and attack. She swallowed nervously.  
  
“I could use a paw…” Judy started. “They cuffed my paw and foot together.”  
  
“Is it safe?” Fangmeyer asked.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked softly. “Can Fangmeyer come and uncuff me?”  
  
Nick cracked an eye and looked at Judy, then shifted his eye slightly to look up at Fangmeyer.  
  
Alicia Fangmeyer, a seven-year veteran of the ZPD, had over the course of her career seen the best and worst that mammalkind had to offer. If it weren't for the fact that Nick was protecting Judy, she wouldn't even be sure that the fox in the exhibit was Nick. The look in his eye told Fangmeyer that he was sizing her up, assessing her as a threat. She watched as his tail wrapped tighter around Judy. The blood on his right paw and around his muzzle spoke all too clearly of the lengths and means he would take to protect his mate.  
  
Nick’s other eye came open as he turned his head to give his whole attention to the tigress. With both of his eyes on her, even with the high ground, Fangmeyer felt that she was at a disadvantage. Her left paw slowly started moving toward her sidearm. Fangmeyer paused her movement when he shifted his eyes to track her paw.  
  
“Nick, Fangmeyer won't hurt me. Will you, Fangmeyer?” Judy asked as she turned her attention from Fangmeyer to Nick.  
  
“No, I won't hurt her.”  
  
Nick snorted and laid his head back down onto his paws, his eyes once again closed.  
  
Judy softly stroked the fur at the back of Nick's head as she softly told him. “That's it, that's my big, overprotective fox.”  
  
Nick snorted in response.  
  
Judy smiled and looked up at Fangmeyer. “It’s ok, he's not going to hurt you.”  
  
Fangmeyer swallowed hard and looked between the fox and the rabbit. The rumor mill at the Precinct had been running full force since early that morning about the two getting married. She hadn't been so sure, but now she felt like she needed to contact Clawhauser about placing a bet. The portly cheetah had made out very well with the last betting pool on if these two would become a couple or not. She looked over at her partner, Wolfson.  
  
“Call it in, and get us EMS, a corner, and a tranq dart,” Fangmeyer paused before adding, “Don’t call this in over the open radio, since we’re not even sure what fully happened here; use your cell.  
  
Delgato Wolfson nodded as he started to walk out of the building, since cell reception was notoriously bad in the museum.  
  
Fangmeyer watched him go for a few moments before turning her attention back to Nick and  
  
Judy, then dropping down into the exhibit. While the smell of blood was thick in the air above, the smell of it down here was even worse. She watched as Nick’s ears rotated and tracked her progress toward them.  
When Fangmeyer was just a few steps away from them, Nick stood and uncurled from around his mate. He moved only a few steps away from Judy before he turned and watched Fangmeyer like a hawk.  
  
Fangmeyer paused for just a moment as she studied Nick's eyes. The pupils were vertically slit instead of rounded, holding not an unending rage, but an otherworldly intelligence. But as his eyes shifted from Fangmeyer to Judy, the harshness in them softened, and his pupils became a bit more round.  
  
As Fangmeyer turned her attention from the fox to Judy, she was taken back. Judy was covered in small bloody scratches, the wounds ragged and mostly fresh. Her shirt was little more than shredded rags. Her pants were crudely pulled down, and her thighs were scratched in places as well.  
  
“Did..” Fangmeyer’s eyes shot to Nick in an unvoiced question.  
  
“No, Nick didn't do this,” Judy answered the question. “Can you please unlock the cuffs?”  
  
“Who, then?” Fangmeyer asked as she uncuffed the rabbit officer.  
  
Judy swallowed as she pulled her panties and pants back up. “My ex, Jack Savage.”  
  
For the first time since being injected with Nighthowler, Nick growled at the name. The females watched as Nick's pupils shifted fully vertical,then became more rounded, before he closed his eyes. He was struggling for control, his head hung low as if ashamed that he was unable to fully protect his mate.  
  
“Let's not mention him again,” Fangmeyer said softly.  
  
Judy nodded before she walked over to Nick. Fangmeyer tensed as she watched the rabbit once again move closer to the fox certain that she was about to witness the end of Judy Hopps and in a way perhaps she did.  
  
Judy lifted Nick’s head as she gently stroked the sides of his bloodstained muzzle. She placed her chin on top of his muzzle and whispered softly, “I'm sorry.”  
  
Nick whined softly.  
  
“I..I’m sorry...I thought it was just…” Judy sighed; as she tried to fight back the tears, his tail wrapped around her thighs. She was unsuccessful, and buried her face into the fur of his neck as she started to cry freely.  
  
If Fangmeyer had her doubts about how Nick felt about Judy they were extinguished when her eyes met his. For his eyes conveyed more eloquently than any mere words that the bunny was his.  
  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
“Disturbing news this evening out of ZPD Precinct One. Here is Fabine Growly with tonight's top story,” Peter Moosebridge said into the camera.  
  
The camera cut to Fabine Growly standing outside in front of the natural history museum.  
  
“Good evening. According to sources inside the ZPD this evening, at approximately 1730, Detectives Wilde and Hopps responded to a citizen in distress call made by actor Jack Savage. But instead of being a distress call, it was all part of an insidious plot to lure Wilde and Hopps into an elaborate trap set by Martin "The Stripe" Flannigan.” Fabine Growly said into her microphone.  
  
The camera cut to various clips of Nick and Judy arresting multiple mammals across the city as Fabine Growly narrated over them. “As we have been reporting Detectives Wilde and Hopps have been spearheading a city-wide crackdown on kit trafficking that has resulted in some very powerful mammals being arrested. According to our sources, Martin Flannigan is the head of a criminal empire that includes kit trafficking, amongst other criminal enterprises, and has left the city shortly after injecting Detective Nicholas Wilde with what at first appears to be Nighthowler serum.”  
  
The camera cut back to Fabine Growly in front of the natural history museum. “The most disturbing news is that Jack Savage attempted to rape Detective Judith Hopps. Sources inside the ZPD are quiet about the full list of charges to be brought against the actor, but sources at Zootopia General Hospital confirm that Jack Savage has been admitted this evening with potentially fatal injuries. Detective Wilde has been admitted for apparent Nighhowler poisoning, and there are no reports to the location of Detective Judith Hopps.”  
  
The camera cut back to Peter Moosebridge in the studio. “In related news, stock in Zoony Entertainment, the company responsible for making the Savage Seas films, had dropped by 42% before trading closed this evening.”  
  
Martin turned off the TV on the plane. “Seems we didn’t kill Miss Hopps after all. How...interesting.”  
  
“Doug did say the serum wasn't perfect,” said a high pitched voice.  
  
“Yes…he did, didn’t he?” Martin said.  
  
“What do you want to do about it?”  
  
“Nothing for the moment; we shall see what comes of it. Perhaps the message was received after all?” Martin asked.  
  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy paced. She had been pacing for a long time. The hospital had run some tests on her, then collected samples from her fur and under her claws as evidence. They had even given her a shirt from the hospital's gift shop to replace her torn flannel one. It was a few sizes too large, but she wore it anyway as she paced in the waiting room.  
  
  
  
Judy’s ears bent and dropped at her internal berating.  
  
_He would have been fine, and you would have been at home in his arms instead of here,_ her inner voice continued to chastise her.  
  
_But nooo, you had to rush through the door…_  
  
_Enormous criminal, you’re dead fluff butt,_ she heard in Major's voice.  
  
_But nooo, it's not you that paid that price for your over-zealousness it was Nick…_  
  
Judy paused mid-stride as her nose twitched, and her ears fell down over her shoulders again.  
  
“Will I lose my fox?” she asked herself quietly out loud.  
  
Judy pulled out her cell phone and looked at the time. More importantly than the time, she looked at the wallpaper of her and Nick. She had taken the photo in the limo to the Whisper. Their first date now felt like a lifetime ago. Her thumb caressed the picture of his smug, smiling face.  
  
_You may not lose him, but you very well could get him killed,_ Her inner voice shot back darkly.  
  
_Add in, how long do you want to do this police thing,_ she heard Nicks voice ringing in her ears.  
  
He almost died for you numerous times during the Nighthowler Crisis, then as a police officer he's been shot…  
  
Yeah, but that risk comes with the job…  
  
A job he would have never taken if it wasn't for you!  
  
Judy slumped down to her knees in the middle of the waiting room as tears started to roll down her face. She closed her eyes as her tears fell, holding her phone to her chest as if she was holding a part of him. The room was empty and her sobs nearly silent as she cried.  
  
Time passed for the doe, and her tears eventually stopped. She stayed still and tried to keep her mind silent for fear that the dark inner doubts would rear their head once again. She drew a deep, ragged breath in slowly through her nose and out through her mouth.  
  
As Judy’s eyes opened, her usually soft amethyst eyes took on a hard, determined gleam. She slowly got to her feet, and walked out of the waiting room door and down the hall toward the nurse's station.  
  
“Excuse me!” Judy said with more cheer than she actually felt.  
  
The male giraffe nurse looked around confused. It was going to be a long shift, and now they had a savage fox to deal with, as well as a horde of reporters outside clamoring for news over the movie star.  
  
“Down here,” Judy said.  
  
“Oh, hello, there how may I help you?” the nurse asked, hoping the bunny would go away quickly so he could get back to real work.  
  
"I would like a status update on my mate, and I would really like to see him."  
  
The male nurse nodded and started typing into the computer. “I’m sorry Miss, but the ZPD has forbidden Mr. Savage to have any…”  
  
“Savage!” Judy yelled, her voice taking on a dangerous tone. “You think I want anything to do with that worthless sack of chicken manure? I want to know about my MATE, Nicholas Wilde!”  
  
“I’m sorry Miss, but we can only release information to immediate family or next of kin…” The nurse answered dryly.  
  
Judy’s eyes hardened even more as her paws clenched in fists. “IF you would take a moment and actually do your job, you would see that I’m his emergency contact.”  
  
The nurse leaned back so he could see his computer screen clearly and started to type away. “I’m sorry Miss Hopps, but Mr. Wilde is still listed as unconscious from the tranquilizer dart. The lab has yet to report back all the toxins in Mr. Wilde’s system. We cannot allow you back to see him until he has at least regained consciousness.”  
  
“I was at his side for a week when he was shot just over two months ago…”  
  
“That was a different issue, ma’am. This is a precaution taken for midnicampum holicithias poisoning; we can only allow qualified personnel to have access to Mr. Wilde until he wakes up.”  
  
“If Nick were going to hurt me, he would have done it in the natural history museum.”  
  
The nurse looked down at her once again. “I am sorry Miss Hopps, but it is hospital policy to keep access to the patient at a minimum until he at least regains consciousness. I would suggest going home and trying to get some sleep.”  
  
The heavy metal door containment door behind the nurse opened, and a black female wolf in scrubs came out. Orange pieces of something stuck in her fur and to her scrubs. The look on the wolfs face spoke of complete and utter disgust.  
  
“Holy fuck! We tried to give him what he wanted and threw it literally in my face….” The wolf said as she walked from the door.  
  
Judy heard a familiar voice cry out, “Cccccaaaa….” just before getting cut off with the shutting of the door. Her eyes narrowed as she turned her attention to the pair of nurses.  
  
The male giraffe licked his lips nervously and looked at the female wolf who kept ranting about how long it was going to take to get carrots out of her fur.  
  
“Carrots, huh?” Judy asked cheerfully.  
  
“Yeah, the stupid fox keeps howling for them but…”  
  
“I thought the fox wasn’t awake.”  
  
“Oh, he's been awake for at least two hours…” the female wolf replied as she angrily picked pieces of carrot out of her fur and threw them in the trash.  
  
Judy thumped her foot against the floor as she eyed the pair of nurses.  
  
“Why don't I help you help yourselves?” Judy asked.  
  
“And how could you help us with that dumb fox?” the wolf asked.  
  
Judy smiled. “Let me tell you a story. You see….”  
  
“Listen we don't have time for…”  
  
“Oh, I promise it will be a short story, and it'll help you with your problem.”  
  
“Ok just hurry up…”  
  
“Once upon a time, a dumb fox met a sly bunny, and the dumb fox gave the sly bunny a nickname based on where she grew up. He called the sly bunny that nickname almost every day, several times a day. If you listen to that door, he's even calling for his sly bunny right now. Now, you can let me go see my mate or…” Judy smiled as she pulled out her cell phone. “I start calling certain mammals that I know and tell them that you are keeping me from my mate.”  
  
Judy watched the two nurses look at each other as if they were debating letting her in or not. She didn't say that the only mammal she knew that could probably get her through that door was Chief Bogo, but Nick was almost famous for all the mammals that he knew.  
  
Judy unlocked her phone and started to scroll through her small list of contacts slowly. “Now let's see who did Nick say to call if I had problems at the hospital…” She watched the giraffe out of the corner of her eye as she scrolled slowly. From what Nick had taught her about reading other mammals, she suspected that he would fold first.  
  
“Ummmm, I don't think that will be necessary, Miss Hopps. It’s just an error in the computer system; the, uhhh, database is slow to update sometimes.” Judy smiled as the giraffe folded; she suspected that he was lying to her, but at least she was finally able to get to her mate.  
  
Judy locked her phone again and smiled. “Thank you. I'm sure this is all just a big misunderstanding…”  
  
The giraffe nodded gratefully while the female wolf shot him a look. Judy chose to ignore the silent exchange as the male opened the heavy door to let her inside.  
  
“You know he wanted more time to observe the fox…” Judy heard the wolf whisper as the door started to shut.  
  
“Two hours is more than enough time. You know we have no legal way of keeping her away from him…” The giraffe shot back.  
  
“Oh, come on! Don’t you think it's a bit weird…” Judy didn’t hear the rest of the conversation as the door closed behind her.  
  
The hall was mostly darkened, as it was set up for the original 14 mammals of the Nighthowler Crisis, the ones that Nick and Judy had found in the Cliffside Asylum. The hall held memories of partial failure and betrayal for Judy. The last time she’d been here, she had been with Mrs. Otterton as she watched her husband prowl one of these cells.  
  
“Ccccaaaawooootttsss!” she heard Nick howl down the hall. Judy's eyes focused down the corridor to the single pool of light.  
  
Judy started to walk toward the pool of light as she got closer she could begin to make out a figure looking into the cell. She swallowed somewhat nervously as she walked up.  
  
“Marvelous, isn't he?” the mammal asked as he jotted down something on his clipboard.  
  
Judy looked into the cell, and was shocked by what she saw.  
  
Nick didn’t so much walk around the cell as he prowled it. His muzzle was encased in the solid steel and nylon straps of a muzzle. His clothes had been stripped of him; the musculature of his back shoulders and legs could be seen flexing under his fur as he prowled around the cell searching for something. His ears were continually moving.  
  
“Oh, Nick…” Judy said quietly, not yet acknowledging the mammal beside her.  
  
“With the first savage case, they were too far gone, their rage too all-encompassing. But Mr. Wilde here seems to have retained some form of intelligence,” The mammal beside her continued as a tripod mounted camera recorded every one of Nick's movements.  
  
Judy watched as Nick's left ear stopped its pivot upon hearing the voice of his mate. His head turned and regarded the glass wall, and, perhaps for the first time, what lay beyond it.  
  
“Fascinating! Carrots, I presume?” the mammal beside her asked. She could make out the sound of pen on paper as he made more notes.  
  
“Judy Hopps,” she answered, not taking her eyes off her mate as he slowly moved toward the glass wall.  
  
“He's been searching for something for over an hour now.” He paused as he made some more notes. “Or perhaps he has been searching for someone? Can I ask what is your relationship with the subject?”  
  
Judy ignored him as Nick pressed the tip of the muzzle against one of the circular openings in the glass and started sniffing. She began to reach forward.  
  
“I wouldn’t…” the mammal beside her started, before being cut off by a glare from her raw amethyst eyes.  
  
“Just who are you, Mister…?” Judy asked as she wrapped her fingers around the front bar of the muzzle. She didn’t see Nick relax, as her attention was turned to the mammal beside her, but she felt his tongue lap against her fingers.  
  
“Doctor, actually.” The mammal seemed a little put off. “Doctor Quency Vainnose. That is simply fascinating.” Dr. Vainnose started to scribble more notes on his clipboard.  
  
“Doctor Vainnose, are you Nick’s doctor?” Judy asked rather sternly.  
  
“Uh, not exactly,” Dr. Vainnose answered.  
  
Judy took stock of the mammal for the first time. He was perhaps a little taller than Nick, but not as tall as the wolves they worked with. Maybe he was a breed of canine, she thought. His fur was mostly white, with a dark grey, almost black, stripe that started at the tip of his nose and got wide as it moved back over his muzzle and down his back.  
  
“And just how exactly are you treating my mate?” Judy all but growled. “I find it very hard to believe that he would consent to this.”  
  
“Well, you see…”  
  
“Tell me, doctor…” The sarcasm in her voice that dripped off the word doctor would have made Nick proud.  
  
“You see, Miss Hopps…”  
  
“Detective, actually,” Judy corrected. “I'm more than certain I've been on the news enough to be recognizable.”  
  
Dr. Vainnose swallowed nervously. “I’m not Mr. Wilde’s doctor, per say…”  
  
“Then just what exactly are you doing here?” Judy asked. “Other than taking voyeuristic video of my mate?”  
  
“Now just wait one moment…”  
  
“What did you ask me about him?” Judy thought for a moment. “I believe you asked me if he was marvelous, and while I have to agree he simply is and can be marvelous, I never expected to hear a doctor say it while my mate prowled around nude for their pleasure.”  
  
“Now Mis...I mean Detective Hopps…”  
  
“Tell me, if it was me in there, and he caught you taking video of me nude and hopping around while you made notes, what do you think my mate would do to you?” Judy asked as she let go of Nick's muzzle, both her paws becoming clenched fists at her sides.  
  
Nick whined softly as the contact with his mate was withdrawn.  
  
“I believe we got off on the wrong foot here…”  
  
“My entire evening has gotten off on the wrong foot, doctor,” Judy all but sneered saying the word. “I’ve been lured into a trap and almost raped, had mammals attempt to use my mate as a weapon to kill me, and now I find you here slowing his treatment? Treating him like he’s something to study?”  
  
“I think…”  
  
“That you should go and get his real doctor?”  
  
Lots of things could be said about Quency Vainnose, but stupid wasn't one of them. He started to gather up his camera to leave.  
  
“Doctor…” Judy said her voice thick with rage.  
  
Dr. Vainnose looked down at the bunny.  
  
“Leave the camera…”  
  
He started to protest, but thought better of it and turned down the hall to the door she came in.  
  
“And the clipboard,” she called after him, and smiled as she heard it clatter to the floor.  
  
Judy watched as the doctor opened the door at the end of the hall and slipped through it. She all but vibrated with rage. She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth in an effort to calm herself; rage wouldn’t help Nick right now.  
  
Judy eyed the camera, took one more breath, and pushed it over as Nick whined softly. It made a satisfying crack as it hit the floor. Judy calmly walked over to the camera and studied it for a moment before she found the button to eject the memory card and slipped it into her pocket.  
  
Judy closed the legs of the tripod and gathered them up in her paws. She swung the tripod up over her head and, with a scream of rage, hurt, and anguish, she smashed the camera into the floor over and over again. Pieces of plastic, glass, and silicone exploded out of the camera as she crushed it and threw the tripod against the empty nurse's station.  
  
Nick whined again, louder this time, to get Judy's attention. She huffed out the breath she hadn’t even known she was holding and walked back over to the glass wall.  
  
Nick pressed the muzzle back against the opening; if it wasn't for the muzzle, he could almost stick his nose though it. Judy reached her fingers through the opening and softly scratched at the underside of his muzzle. Her head rested against the glass, and her eyes softened considerably.  
  
“I’m sorry Nick. I'm so sorry.” She closed her eyes as her tears welled up again.  
  
Nick whined at her as his tongue flicked out and lapped against the palm of her paw. Her eyes opened as she heard his body thunk against the thick glass in an attempt to get closer to and comfort her. Her ears dropped even more, his move to try to comfort her making her feel worse, and her eyes closed once again.  
  
_You put him in there, and he's still trying to comfort you,_ her inner voice spoke up.  
  
Judy could hear the sound of the door down the hall gently open and close. She kept scratching Nick’s chin as she tracked the progress of the mammal down the hall.  
  
“G’eve Miss Hopps,” a male sounding voice spoke from behind her. “I judge from tha’ mess that Vainnose didn’t heed my warnin’ about video?”  
  
“You authorised this?” Judy asked darkly.  
  
“No, ma’am. He asked if he could observe Mister WIlde. I saw no harm in letting ‘em watch Mister Wilde,” the voice answered.  
  
“So you weren’t trying to keep me from my mate, then?” Judy asked, her voice a little softer.  
  
“No, ma’am, I’d lose my job if I attempted to do that. My instructions to tha nurses was to allow you access as soon as Mister Wilde woke up. Predators can be unpredictable at times when waking up from the tranqs.”  
  
“Where are his clothes?” Judy asked as he eyes opened and she took stock of the mammal behind her. The mammal was maybe a bit taller than she was, with dark grey fur and a black nose. His rounded ears were oddly the same shape as the glasses perched upon his nose. His soft brown eyes held a kindness that she hadn’t quite expected.  
  
“We removed what remained of his shirt to stitch up the nasty cuts he had on his stomach. He still had pants on when I left him here…”  
  
Judy growled low and dangerously for a few seconds. “I’m sorry that…”  
  
“It's perfectly fine Miss Hopps. I'm not so certain I wouldn’t act the same way if I found my mate in a similar situation.”  
  
Judy closed her eyes and breathed deeply one more time. “Thank you, Doctor…”  
  
“Treeroot, Henry Treeroot. I’m tha resident toxicologist here a Zootopia General, and I assure you, Miss Hopps, that I am more than koalafied to help your mate.” Dr Treeroot introduced himself, chuckling “Now, I would be very remiss in my duties if I didn’t tell you that our patients should not be treated like this, and that the administrator of this facility would like to have a few words with you about this incident. But first let's talk about your mate, shall we?”  
  
Judy nodded and turned more toward the doctor, but kept her paw on Nick’s chin. “Is he going to be ok?”  
  
Dr Treeroot sighed and stuffed his paws in the pockets of his lab coat. “I have spent some time this evening studying the toxins in your mates system…”  
  
“Toxins, as in more than one?” Judy asked.  
  
“Yes. I compared Mr. WIlde’s results to the results of the original victims of midnicampum holicithias poisoning. There are differences…”  
  
“What kind of differences?”  
  
“There’s more in his system than just midnicampum holicithias; there are also trace elements of some highly illegal substances, along with some compounds that I haven’t seen before. Did Mr. Wilde have a drug problem?” Dr Treeroot asked.  
  
Judy shook her head. “No, Nick…”  
  
“I didn’t think as much, Miss Hopps, but I had to ask regardless.” Dr. Treeroot took a deep breath. “The other substances in Mr. Wilde’s system seem to have altered the way the midnicampum holicithias toxin has bound to the receptors of his brain. We can flush the cure though his system but…”  
  
“But what?” Judy asked.  
  
“I’m not sure we can fully flush it from him at this point, and if we attempted to we might do more harm than good.”  
  
Judy nodded and looked at Nick. He whined at her and licked her paw again.  
  
“The fact that he seems to know who you are gives me hope that the lasting effects won't be detrimental to him or you.”  
  
Judy nodded and took a deep breath before asking, “Can he still be a cop?”  
  
“That depends greatly.”  
  
“On what?”  
  
“On him…”  
  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The vixen exited her car. Very few mammals would recognize her, as on-screen she was pure arctic white, but off-screen the tips of her tail and ears were emblazoned with fiery red. Her unique markings were a result of genetics; her father was a vulpes vulpes, or red fox, her mother an arctic fox, . Well at least her birth mother was, not that it mattered much in their household. Both of the vixens had been Mom. The only real feature that would have given away her on-screen persona was her deep green eyes, which she kept hidden behind polarized sunglasses. Green eyes ran heavily in her family tree.  
  
She looked up at the early afternoon sun and breathed deep. To her, the air held the sweet smell of freedom. It had been close to seventeen years now, her name closely tied to his. Close to fifteen different films all roles of seemingly increasing importance. Finally, the last two had placed her in a co-starring role with the rabbit. All in exchange for letting him have his way with her. She sometimes wondered if she paid too high of a price for her rise to fame.  
  
When Skye had first met Jack, he had a minor role in some cheesy mid-afternoon soap opera. She was auditioning for a TV commercial, and a good friend of Jack’s was directing the ad. Jack had taken a liking to her during a shooting break while she was waiting for her chance to audition. Skye still didn’t understand how she ended up on her knees in front of the rabbit, but she must have performed well enough as she got the part. Her heart still panged with guilt when she remembered going home to New Rayford and breaking off her longtime relationship with her high school boyfriend. How could she look him in the eye after the things she had done to get the part he’d encouraged her to audition for?  
  
Skye sighed as she shut the car door. Her walk toward the front of the hospital would have done a catwalk model proud. Years of training, mentoring, and schooling had taught her to be more than her roots. She had even dressed down in blue jeans and a sweater. Granted they were 200 dollars designer jeans and a 300 dollar sweater, both designed to look like she was slumming it.  
  
Jack had been so sure that Judy would jump into bed with them, that he frankly didn't see any other outcome. But Skye had seen Judy’s face that night when she walked in on her and Jack. It wasn't a look of anger, it was a look of relief, as if Judy finally had an acceptable way out of the relationship. She’d heard Jacks stupid little speech, and she had warned the rabbit that it would backfire on him, and backfire it did. Jack didn't have the leverage over Judy that he did over Skye, but money in their circle of influence equaled power, and after a while, one tended to forget that some mammals weren’t after money in a relationship.  
  
Skye envied Judy; she had run when faced with a similar choice as Skye had. Skye instead stayed and submitted to the rabbit; after all, he had promised her to make her a star.  
  
Skye stepped out of the elevator and looked around. Finding Jack’s room wasn't hard; after all, not every room had a uniformed police officer standing outside of it.  
  
The early morning call she received from her publicist had told her to abandon Jack like the sinking ship he was. Skye had warned Jack that her cousin would protect the bunny, she had urged him to let her go, that there were more rabbits out there if that's what he wanted, but he didn't listen and just became more obsessed.  
  
She pulled her driver's license out of the front pocket of her jeans and showed it to the wolf police officer. Being able to see Jack one last time was the condition she placed with the DA on becoming a witness against Jack. Who knew, maybe this would help her career. Or perhaps she would go back home to the cherry farm.  
  
Skye handed her car keys over to the officer just before he patted her down. She hadn’t even brought her phone with her; she would always remember what she said to Jack this day.  
  
The wolf opened the door and let her inside.  
  
Skye was ready for a lot of things when she set foot into that hospital room. But she wasn't prepared for this. Bandages wrapped around half of Jack's face. Even then, the track marks that Nick’s claws had taken across his face could be seen peeking from the edges. Her eyes traveled lower, and she smirked at the places where Nick's claws had dug into Jack's chest. Traveling even lower, she saw that his left leg was now clearly amputated above the knee from the way the sheet fell.  
  
“Poor Jack…” Skye said sweetly as she walked to his bedside. She looked at the IVs that were stuck into his arm and shook her head. “I warned you to let her go, to be content with what you already had. That my cousin would take everything from you.”  
  
Skye smiled, not that Jack could see the smile on her face, nor could he really answer her with his jaw wired shut. She ran a claw along the edge of his ear the way he liked.  
  
“Never content. Always trying to fill the void in your heart. Do you know what they do to rapists in prison?” Skye asked. “It won't matter that she’s mated to a predator. It won't even matter she’s a cop…” She bent down and whispered into his ear. “I hope you like receiving anal as much as you enjoyed giving it.”  
  
Skye smiled as he weakly tried to move the arm that was paw cuffed to the bed.  
  
“Poor Jack,” she continued. “I just wanted to let you know that I am going to tell the district attorney what I overheard, and what you did to me. You will have a void filled Jack, and I'm pretty sure you are going to be the one that will learn his place soon enough.”  
  
Skye walked back over to the door slowly and paused, looking at the broken rabbit one last time. “You should have been content with what you already had. I would have stayed by you if you had shown me half the loyalty that I had shown you. Even after all your manipulation, I would have stayed. Maybe I'm as big of a fool as you are. Doesn't matter now though, for I’m free of you.”  
  
Skye opened the door and stepped back out into the hall, letting the door click shut behind her. Her shoulders felt lighter than when she went in. Her mind wandered back to the boy from high school, not for the first time in the years that past as she made her way back to the elevator.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
It was still early morning, and somewhere in the city, a vixen was making a deal with the district attorney.  
  
Judy watched the rise and fall of Nick's chest. They had moved him from the holding cell to a regular bed at her insistence. Dr. Treeroot was very clear that he wasn’t 100% sure what to expect. It had been a long night and an even longer morning with little to no change in Nick’s pupils. Dr. Treeroot still held out hope, as pupils weren’t a foolproof indication of a patient's state of mind.  
  
Judy’s eyes drooped closed for a moment before snapping back open. She didn't want to sleep, no matter how much her body screamed for it. Once again she watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, the steady rhythm slowly relaxing her.  
  
A knock at the door alerted Judy before the mammal entered. She turned her head and eyed the mammal that entered the room.  
  
The female mammal that entered the room looked decidedly nervous, as if she was near a bomb that could go off at any moment. She wore a pinstriped suit with a white blouse underneath it, a power suit that did little to make her seem powerful at the moment. Her hide was the pale tan color of sand. Her face reminded Judy of Gazelle’s but darker in places, and she had no horns.  
  
“Excuse me, Miss Hopps, I'm Samantha Pronghorn, the administrator of Zootopia General Hospital. I understand you had a problem with one of my staff last night,” Samantha Pronghorn introduced herself, but made no move to come any closer than just inside the door.  
  
Judy eyed the antelope for several minutes before she answered. “Tell me something, Miss…I'm sorry, what was your name again?” Judy shook her head and waved her paw before the administrator could answer.”Never mind, it doesn't matter. Let me ask you, what sort of laws are in place to safeguard a patient from any unnecessary procedures when incapacitated?”  
  
“Well, the decisions should fall to next of kin, or someone with power of attorney,” Samantha answered.  
  
“That's interesting, especially considering that Nick and I have had an emergency medical power of attorney for each other on file in this hospital since March of this year. So why was I only informed of his waking by accident two hours after the fact? OR, even better yet, why did Dr. Vainnose see fit to record my mate, in the nude might I add, without my consent, in your facility?” Judy asked, her voice taking a hard edge.  
  
“I don’t know the answers to those questions, but I am hoping we can resolve this situation…”  
  
“Without some of your staff to losing their jobs licenses and ending up in jail?” Judy asked.  
  
Samantha nodded. “Perhaps there is something we can do…”  
  
“Oh, most certainly there is!” Judy said with a smile on her face.  
  
“Excellent…”  
  
“I need the names of the nurses that were on staff outside of the Nighthowler Containment Unit last night. It'll make things much easier for when I hand my report over to Chief Bogo this morning. That way we can get the proper warrants and subpoenas done faster,” Judy said, cutting her off.  
  
“I was really hoping…”  
  
“That you could throw a bag of money at the crazy bunny that's mated to a fox and she would forget about it?” Judy asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
Samantha looked nervous and scuffed the tip of her right hoof against the floor nervously. “Not necessarily… I was hoping for something mutually beneficial; we’re short staffed as it is….”  
  
“Oh, but this is mutually beneficial. This way, you’ll never have to deal with this again, and you know as a police officer I wouldn’t know the first thing about what it's like being a member of a team that's underappreciated and short staffed. I mean, we’re almost the same, but oh, wait…” Judy looked thoughtful for a moment. “Didn’t you charge the ZPD almost three times as much for Nick’s care for his gunshot wounds than you did for, say, almost any other officer’s wounds? That wouldn't have had anything to do with him being a fox, now would it?”  
  
“No, his species has nothing…”  
  
“Oh really? So if it were just me in here, would you still be standing all the way over there by the door?” Judy asked. “What are you afraid of? The only mammal Nick has hurt tried to rape me. You aren’t thinking of raping me now, are you?”  
  
“No, it's just…”  
  
“He might eat you? Dr. Treeroot said he’d be out for at least another twelve hours, so do you not trust your staff?” Judy asked as shook her head, her exhaustion making her more irritable. “Just get me those names and leave.”  
  
Judy closed her eyes until the door to the room closed once again. Her report had been written hours ago, both for what happened at the Natural History Museum and what happened in the Nighthowler Containment Unit. She wasn't proud of her actions, but she didn't think anyone would blame her, at least not for what happened in the NCU.  
  
Judy’s eyes roamed over the sleeping form of her mate. She needed to sleep; she wouldn't be able to be a good advocate for him if she let herself get any more exhausted. She had been up easily since four a.m. the day before, and now it was nearing nine almost 30 hours later.  
  
Judy stood and pulled the blanket back away from Nick’s right side. She knew the nurses would be rather cross with her; Dr. Treeroot would probably be more amused. She undid her pants and kicked them off and draped them on the seat of the chair.  
  
Thankfully, Nicks IV was in his left arm, which left the right one for her. She hopped up onto the bed and snuggled between his arm and the side of his chest. Her nose pressed against the hospital gown they’d put on him. At least he smells like himself, she thought dryly to herself. Her eyes slowly slipped shut, the comforting presence of her mate near her.  
  
Judy sighed softly as she relaxed, her left foot draped over his leg. She relished the direct contact made with her mate. Reaching down, she pulled the blanket over herself. The blanket paled in comparison to the warmth and comfort given by his tail, but at least she was with him. That, she decided as the last vestiges of consciousness left her, was what was most important.  
  
Rabbits are social creatures. They spend the first few years of their lives sleeping in piles with their litter-mates. Slowly, starting at the age of 3, they are separated, first a few to a bed, then two, then roommates, then by themselves. By the time a rabbit is sleeping by themselves, they have a small army of plushie rabbits to keep them company. It's partially to get them ready to find a mate of their own, and partly to keep inbreeding from happening.  
  
Judy had found something even better than her small army of plushies. Something she hadn’t even admitted to herself that she’d needed, and now that she had it she wouldn't let him go for anything. She pressed her face to his side. The scent of violets just under the chemical smell of the antiseptics and whatever they had used to scrub the blood off.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The first thing Nick became aware of was the overwhelming pain. Every fiber of his being felt like it had been pulled taut for hours before being stretched beyond the breaking point. If there had ever been a moment that he felt like Francine had danced on him, it was this one.  
  
The next thing that started to come into focus was his sense of smell. While usually incredibly sharp, it was still amplified considerably. He could smell lilacs, green grasses, and herbs, along with warm earth and himself. It took his mind just a second to register the unique mixture of scents as those of his mate. There were other scents in the room, strange tree scents along with other smells wafting in, but he ignored those.  
  
His eyes opened briefly, only to snap shut again as the pain seemed to stab into his sensitive eyes. It wasn't that the room was that bright; the pounding headache, combined with how sensitive his eyes had become, caused him vast amounts of pain. He groaned softly as he became even more aware of his surroundings.  
  
Nick swallowed hard, his throat scratchy and dry. He started to flex his right paw, but stopped when he encountered the warm, soft fur of his mate. The sudden intake of breath told him that the flexing of his paw had woken her up.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked softly, her voice thick with emotion.  
  
Nick swallowed again, trying to get some moisture over his throat. “Yeah, Fluff?” he answered, his voice sounding kind of gravely.  
  
He felt her arms wrap around his neck as she hugged him and whispered, “I’m sorry,” over and over again. Nick's right paw held her to his chest as he softly stroked her back.  
  
“Fluff…” Nick said softly.  
  
Judy started to sob into Nick's neck. “I...I...am... so sorry…”  
  
Nick’s eyes opened even against the stabbing pain of the light and the throbbing of his head. He looked down at her as he softly rubbed her back. He whispered softly into her ear, “I’m ok, I’m still here.”  
  
Nick pressed his nose between her neck and shoulder as he let her cry herself out. Her sobs wracked her body as he softly stroked her back. The room slowly went eerily quiet, her breath hot against his neck.  
  
“It’s ok, Fluff,” Nick whispered softly into her neck.  
  
“I...I promise you, Nick, that I will not do that again…” Judy said to him, her voice cracking again as her emotions ran rampant.  
  
Nicks paw softly stroked the back of her head and down her ears. “It’s ok, Fluff…”  
  
“You were supposed to kill me…” Judy said softly.  
  
Nick was quiet for a few moments before he softly whispered into her ear, “It would take more than Nighthowler to make me hurt you.”  
  
“I...I...know.” Judy took a deep breath, her nose full of his scent. “I offered you my throat, and you just curled up around me. You didn't even try to take advantage.”  
  
Nick nodded. “I was worried you were hurt…”  
  
“He didn’t……” Judy's voice trailed off.  
  
“I know; after I finished with him I could barely smell him on you.”  
  
“You remember?” Judy asked, surprised.  
  
Nick nodded. “Bits and pieces…”  
  
“He's alive. He lost his leg and his eyes, and they had to wire his jaw shut and back together.” Judy said quietly. “He might still die…”  
  
Nick softly stroked her ears and fought hard to suppress a growl. “How are you?” Nick asked.  
  
“I’m ok, a few cuts and bruises. Nothing major…they gave me a morning after pill just in case……” Judy answered softly. “I’ve been more worried about you…”  
  
“I love you, Judy,” Nick said softly as his eyes slid back closed once again.  
  
“I love you too,” Judy answered. “How do you feel?”  
  
“Honestly? Like I’ve been run over by a truck…repeatedly.”  
  
“Oh, sweet cheese and crackers!” Judy exclaimed as she pressed the nurse call button on the bed controls. “I need to stop putting my feelings before your needs…”  
  
“Relax Judy, it’s ok,” Nick said softly as he pulled her back against his chest.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked, her nose twitching.  
  
“I’m ok, it’s just that the light in here is hurting my eyes,” Nick explained.  
  
Judy looked around the extremely dim room. The nurse came into the room and flipped the lights fully on. Nick recoiled and hissed in pain at the sudden brightness.  
  
“Turn them off!” Judy yelled, and made a move to get off the bed quickly, but her feet were still somewhat caught up in the blanket.  
  
“Whaooo!” Judy exclaimed as she started to tumble off of the bed. Her eyes widened as she realized that his bed had been raised at some point during the day and was now faced with the suddenly long, face first drop to the hard tile floor.  
  
Nick’s right paw flashed out and grabbed the back of the large shirt she wore and pulled back hard, plopping her back onto the bed.  
  
Judy blinked in surprise as she felt his arms wrap back around her.  
  
“Please turn the lights down,” Nick all but growled.  
  
“Yes, of course, Mr. Wilde, sorry, but someone tripped the emergency panic button,” the nurse, a slim female cheetah, answered as she turned the lights down low once again. “How is that?”  
  
“Better, thank you.”  
  
Judy’s nose twitched, as she still wasn’t sure how she had not ended up crumpled on the floor.  
  
“Now, how are you feeling, Mr. Wilde?” the nurse asked.  
  
“I'm in a lot of pain…”  
  
“Anywhere in particular?”  
  
“Pretty much all over, but I also have a massive headache.”  
  
“Dr. Treeroot was afraid of that, and he has already ordered you a low dose of morphine. We’ll get that ready for you.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“The doctor will be up to see you shortly; he wanted to be informed right away when you woke up.” The nurse informed him as she lowered the height of the bed. “The bathroom is over there. If you need anything, please let us know.”  
  
Judy’s nose twitched as her mind raced. Did he just…… Judy's mind blanked again, as she had expected to hit the floor hard instead of being snatched back. She turned over and nuzzled into his chest.  
  
“As much as it pains me to say this, Fluff, you should probably put your pants back on before the doctor gets here,” Nick said quietly as the nurse shut the door.  
  
Judy's ears flushed bright red and she nodded as she sat up once again and slid off the bed in a much more controlled manner. She could almost feel his eyes on her as he watched her movements and smiled.  
  
“See something you like, Slick?” Judy looked back over her shoulder as she exaggeratedly bent over to pick up her pants. His eyes had taken on a more predatory glint to them. She felt a sense of safety roll off of him. She studied his eyes for a moment before she turned back and picked up her pants.  
  
His eyes had shifted from their ordinarily round state to a more vertical slit almost savage state. At first, she was a little taken aback by the look in them. But the doctor had warned her there could be lasting side effects, and for the most part, Nick appeared to be Nick. The way Nick looked at her was hard to describe. If she had to, she would say it was love, desire, a need to protect her, and possession all rolled into one.  
  
“Nothing I like, but everything that I love,” Nick answered her smoothly.  
  
Judy smiled as she pulled her pants up her long muscular legs.  
  
“Nick… I think we need to talk,” Judy said, her voice was taking on a suddenly serious tone.  
  
The pitiful whine that he made behind her caused her ears to shoot up. She quickly finished buttoning up her pants and turned around. The look on his face was resigned and broken, the hurt in his eyes plain to see, as if he knew how this conversation was going to end.  
  
I think we need to talk. Judy's own words rang in her ears, and her eyes flashed wide in shock.  
  
Judy climbed up onto the bed and held his muzzle in her paws, looking him in his sad green eyes. “Listen to me you dumb fox, I'm not leaving you. If I'm stuck with you, then you are stuck with me. I chose you, remember? We are getting married in a few days, and nothing is going to stop that, even if I have to drag Lorrie, her mom, my mom, and Bogo into this room by their tails, we are getting married, ok?”  
  
At the end of her speech, Judy kissed him softly at first, but soon the kiss deepened as his paws wrapped around her. She broke the kiss and looked down at him.  
  
“I’m sorry it's just……” Nick started.  
  
“It’s ok. Who knew foxes could be so emotional?” Judy said softly.  
  
“I blame the corrupting influence of a certain bunny.”  
  
Judy smiled at him.  
  
“So what do you need to talk to me about in my vulnerable emotional state, Fluff?” Nick asked somewhat seriously.  
  
“The nighthowler that was injected into you wasn’t fully pure…” Judy said.  
  
“Ok…. what does that mean?”  
  
“Dr. Treeroot wasn’t fully sure. He said there could be lasting side effects…”  
  
Nick blinked at her for a moment. “Am I dangerous?”  
  
“Not to me, but he wasn't fully sure what the side effects could be….” Judy paused as there was a polite knock on the door before it opened and the doctor walked in.  
  
A sly grin slowly spread across Nicks muzzle, and Judy groaned quietly.  
  
“Dr. Treeroot, I presume?” Nick asked as he adjusted the back of the bed so he could sit up.  
  
“Uhh, yes, Mr. Wilde, I’m Zootopia General's toxicologist.”  
  
“But are you koalafied?” Nick asked.  
  
The doctor’s face split into a grin. “Fully koalafied! One could even say I feast on the tree of knowledge.”  
  
“Was your branch of study tasty then?”  
  
“It needed more salt I think…” Dr. Treeroot answered as he looked thoughtful. “But I think I could have said the same about my dinner, as well.”  
  
Nick started to chuckle.  
  
Judy huffed for a moment. “I’m sorry, doctor…”  
  
“Oh, it's quite right Miss Hopps, I made the koalafication pun to you last night, but you were a little too distraught to get it, I think.” Dr. Treeroot walked over to the bed. “Do you mind if I have a seat?”  
  
“By all means,” Judy answered.  
  
“Now Mr. Wilde, I’m sure your mate has explained to you…”  
  
“I was just starting to when you came in,” Judy interrupted.  
  
“Shall I then?” Dr. Treeroot asked.  
  
“By all means, good doctor,” Nick answered.  
  
“Your an interesting case Mr. Wilde…”  
  
“Call me Nick,” Nick said. “Mr. Wilde sounds like it should be my father.”  
  
“But we will be Mr. and Mrs. Wilde in a few days….” Judy said with a smile.  
  
“Well then, I guess I’ll have to get used to it.”  
  
Dr. Treeroot smiled as he observed the two.  
  
“Sorry doctor, please continue,” Judy said.  
  
“As I was saying, you are an interesting case, Mis…. Nick. The nighthowler that you were injected with wasn’t fully pure. Now that could be both a blessing and a curse.”  
  
“What was it mixed with?” Nick asked.  
  
“We found traces of several different narcotics, along with a few interesting new chemical compounds; we are under the assumption that the new compounds are accidental,” Dr. Treeroot explained.  
  
“How so?”  
  
“Well, from everything we have gathered from your bloodstream, plus the small amount left over in the syringe, I would hazard a guess that the nighthowler you were injected with was a botched rush job,” Dr. Treeroot explained. “The fact that you were able to overcome the properties of the nighthowler at all speaks of this. But the fact that it was a rush job is also the reason we are having this conversation now.”  
  
Nick slid beside Judy as he listened, his tail wrapped around her and resting in her lap. She reached out and placed her right paw on his left.  
  
“Am I dangerous?” Nick asked.  
  
“I don't believe so. Do you know how nighthowler works?”  
  
“I remember a bit from the briefing we got at the academy.”  
  
“Nighthowler works by lowering the higher brain function and letting the part of the brain that controls fear responses take over. But with you, it's done something more interesting…” Dr. Treeroot explained.  
  
“Interesting good or interesting bad?” Nick asked.  
  
“Let me explain. We ran a few tests on you last night before we administered the antidote for nighthowler poisoning. From the looks of your neural oscillation, the nighthowler has also stimulated the part of your brain that controls instinctive behaviors and r  
esponses,” Dr. Treeroot explained.  
  
Nick frowned as he processed the information.  
  
“So that means…he’ll be more like a savage fox?” Judy asked.  
  
“I wouldn’t go as far as to call Nick a savage, Miss Hopps. Instinctual maybe, even primal?” Dr. Treeroot shook his head. “I’ll be frank.”  
  
“Hi, Frank, I'm Nick!” Nick said as a grin cracked his face once again.  
  
Judy elbowed Nick in the ribs. “Nick!”  
  
“It's quite alright Miss Hopps, I walked into that one willingly,” Dr. Treeroot said with a smile. “Honestly though, we’re not sure what will happen with you, Nick. Anyone that claims to have the answers would be lying to you outright.”  
  
Nick rubbed his ribs where she elbowed him. His frown was returning. “What does this mean for my police career?” He asked softly as he glanced down at Judy.  
  
“Right now, I have placed the recommendation of time off. A lot of time off. You need time, Nick. The changes could be minimal to major. Frankly, we just don't know. The fact that the antidote let you be you again is a blessing in and of itself.” Dr. Treeroot shrugged.  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
Judy looked up at him; his face was hard to read, as it had slipped under the mask of the hustler he generally wore.  
  
Dr. Treeroot slipped out of the chair and started to walk to the door and paused, turning to regard them once again. “I will say it was an honor to have met you two, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.”  
  
The clicking of the door sounded ominous.  
  
“Whatever you’re thinking Nick, stop,” Judy said.  
  
Nick took a deep breath. “I think you're going to need a new partner, Fluff. From the sounds of it, I may be done…”  
  
Judy looked up at him and shook her head. “No,” she said with full conviction in her voice.  
  
“Judy, I won't ask you to give up your dream. Not for me…”  
  
“Nick, remember what you said about dreams changing?”  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
“Well, I think I understand what my parents were trying to tell me a long time ago. I achieved my dream, I became the first rabbit police officer. I even became the first rabbit detective. But it doesn’t mean anything without you. Super Bunny cannot do it without Wonder Fox,” Judy said, both of her paws gripping his right one. “But I think it's a little early to say your fired…”  
  
Nick nodded, gathered her up gently in his arms, and held her tight.  
  
“As long as we’re together,” Nick said softly.  
  
Judy nodded against Nick's chest. “As long as we’re together.”  
  
The only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the clock and their quiet breathing.  
  
“I love you, Judy. I love you so very much,” Nick said, his voice full of raw emotion.  
  
“I love you too, Nick. It'll be ok.” Judy prayed silently that she was right.


	2. Episode 2: Long Hard Road

# Episode 2: Long Hard Road

  
  
  
“Mama played the guitar then, and daddy made the saw blade bend  
And raindrops played the tin roof like a drum  
But I just kept on dreamin' that a song that I was singin'  
Takes me down the road to where my name is known  
Now I'm gone, and it's a long, hard road  
Yes, I know, it's a long, hard road.”  
Long Hard Road ~ Nitty Gritty Dirt Band  
  
  
Judy sat cross-legged on the side of the bed as she watched the rise and fall of Nick’s chest. The low dose of morphine that Dr. Treeroot had ordered for the fox had knocked him right back out.  
  
Judy’s paw still rested on his as she attempted to give her fox as much comfort as she possibly could.  
  
 _He's worried about still being a cop,_ Judy thought to herself.  
  
 _For YOU! When will you have put him through enough? When will you call it quits, when he dies? her inner doubts spoke up._  
  
Judy closed her eyes and breathed deeply.  
  
 _He will follow you into hell._  
  
 _If we quit, what will we do then?_  
  
 _Will it matter?_  
  
Judy opened her eyes and looked at his sleeping face. He looked peaceful and content.  
  
Would it matter? she asked herself.  
  
Judy frowned as her thoughts wandered back to her childhood.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Jude!” her mom called down the hall. “I have something exciting to tell you!”  
  
Judy sighed and shook her head. She had a pretty good idea what this “exciting news” was and rolled her eyes. For over a week her mother had been harassing her about going to her high school prom.  
  
“Mom, if this about the prom, I told you I’m not going,” Judy said as her mom came into her room.  
  
“You’ll thank me for this dear. Trust me, your dreams will change when a buck sweeps you off of your feet,” Bonnie said as she sat down on Judy’s bed.  
  
“Mom! I don't want a buck, I want to be a police officer.” Judy said exasperatedly as she turned her desk chair to look at her mom. Her math homework was spread across the top of the desk.  
  
“How do you know, Jude? You haven't even given any of the bucks a chance to get to know you!” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Ever since the play, all I’ve been is a joke. Why would I give anyone a chance?” Judy asked seriously.  
  
“Well dear, the Masons’ son Thomas said he would take you to the prom,” Bonnie said.  
  
“Mom, I don't want to go to the prom! I have all this AP homework to get done so I don't have to take so many general education classes next fall,” Judy said seriously.  
  
“Trust me Jude, dreams change when the right buck comes into your life….” Bonnie started.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy shook her head from the memories. She remembered all too well how that date went, or how Thomas attempted to make it go.  
  
 _Nick has wanted nothing from you other than what you have been willing to give; even when he wanted something, he told you not to worry about it,_ Judy’s inner voice intoned.  
  
Judy shook her head again, her eyes starting to tear up.  
  
 _Thomas attempted to spike your drinks with alcohol, and Jack was just manipulative if you leave off the whole being a lying rapist thing, her inner voice continued. But Nick? You’ve almost killed him, gotten him shot, dragged him into a situation where he was nearly iced, and now this. He's here because of you. He places you first, but do you do the same to him?_  
  
 _I just…_ Judy started.  
  
 _Wanted to be the hero,_ her inner doubts finished.  
  
Judy’s shoulders slumped.  
  
 _“What does this mean for my police career?”_ she heard Nick ask.  
  
 _You didn’t even tell him you would give it all up to be with him. You said to wait and see._  
  
 _I IMPLIED!_ Judy railed back at her inner doubts.  
  
 _IT'S NOT THE SAME, AND YOU KNOW IT! You are selfish. Even finding Emmett Otterton, it wasn't about finding Emmett, it was about proving to Bogo you could be a police officer._  
  
Judy closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath.  
  
 _You will be married in just a few days. Your life is no longer your own to do with as you please. To throw away. You are his, and he is yours. Judith Laverne Wilde._  
Judy  
opened her eyes slowly and looked over Nick’s sleeping form.  
  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. I love you, and will try to do better,” she said softly, not even sure if Nick could hear her at the moment.  
  
A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.  
  
Judy slipped off the bed and quietly walked over to the door, opening it to look up into the gruff features of Chief Bogo. Judy swallowed hard.  
  
“Do you have a moment, Hopps?” Chief Bogo asked.  
  
Judy nodded and stepped out into the hall and followed Chief Bogo down the hall. She felt much like a kit in trouble at school being escorted down to the principal's office.  
  
“Shut the door,” he said gruffly as he led her into an office and took a seat behind the desk.  
  
Judy pushed the door shut and climbed up onto a chair much too large for her. She would have almost believed they were back in his office at Precinct One, except the walls were bare, and the office was almost to small for him.  
  
“How’s Wilde?” Chief Bogo asked.  
  
“He’s…” Judy paused for a moment. “Lucid, and seems to be himself for the most part.”  
  
“It’s the most part that concerns the mayor and me,” Chief Bogo said.  
  
Judy nodded.  
  
“What happened?” Bogo asked. “I read your report, and now I want to know what happened.”  
  
Judy took a deep breath.  
  
“We left a jewelry shop downtown. Nick’s phone was buzzing in his pocket, and I asked him if he was going to answer it. He said no. I asked why. He said it was more than likely Mr. Savage, as Mr. Savage had been trying to get a hold of him for half the time we were in the shop,” Judy started.  
  
“Why did Wilde answer the phone?” Bogo asked.  
  
“Nick didn’t want to, but I told him we were duty bound to help if a citizen were in trouble,” Judy said.  
  
“You understand that you and your partner were on rest and relaxation correct?” Chief Bogo asked.  
  
“Yes, Chief...”  
  
“What does rest and relaxation entitle, Hopps?”  
  
Judy took a deep breath and looked at the desk in front of the Chief. “It is a form of suspension to allow officers time to decompress, typically after a traumatic experience.”  
  
Chief Bogo nodded. “Tell me Hopps, did you or Detective Wilde have a traumatic experience lately?”  
  
“Nick went into the basement of Matthew Cuppaw and rescued a kit two days ago.”  
  
“Do you know what Detective Wilde saw down there?”  
  
Judy shook her head. “Not really. Nick said he was eating them…”  
  
“It was a meat locker, Hopps,” the Chief said sternly. “With rabbits as the primary course. Now, can you guess why that would, I dunno, traumatize Detective Wilde?”  
  
Judy nodded. “Me.”  
  
Chief Bogo eyed the rabbit. “So tell me, why did you feel it was necessary to go to the Natural History Museum to meet, not just any mammal, but one who’s been causing you a considerable amount of personal trouble?”  
  
“I…”  
  
“You,” Chief Bogo said.  
  
“Told Nick that it was our duty to help…”  
  
“Even knowing what Detective Wilde experienced?”  
  
“Yes, sir.”  
  
Chief Bogo stared at her for a long time. “The only reason I am not taking your badge is that there is no way you could have known that it was a trap. But I’ve heard a lot about you…What about your partner?”  
  
“Nick followed protocol…”  
  
“Which is?”  
  
“To call it in.”  
  
“Are you aware he called for backup?”  
  
Judy shook her head. “I wasn't at the time no…”  
  
“When did you become aware?”  
  
“When Lt. Fangmeyer told me he called it in.”  
  
“You should be dead,” Bogo stated flatly. “I’m not sure which of you two is luckier, yourself or Detective Wilde.” Bogo shook his head, his eyes staring holes into the rabbit officer. “I have something for you.”  
  
Chief Bogo picked up a small manilla envelope and handed it to her.  
  
Judy held the envelope tentatively in her paws.  
  
“Open it,” Bogo said gruffly.  
  
Judy opened the envelope and pulled out a thick sheet of paper. Her eyes started to tear up as she read the top of it. Marriage Certificate. The silence stretched between the two of them. Bogo watched passively as Judy's paws started to shake, holding her and Nick’s marriage license.  
  
“Officer Hopps?” Bogo said, his voice still stern.  
  
Judy looked up at him.  
  
“Officer Hopps, a marriage is a lot like a partnership; you have to be able to put the other mammal ahead of your own wants and desires. Sometimes those wants and desires overlap, but you need to be able to have each other's backs. I have no doubts about Detective Wilde having your back. But I cannot in good conscience partner you with someone else while Wilde recovers. I don’t think there is a mammal on the force that would be comfortable having you as a partner after this. As such, you are suspended until further notice, or Detective Wilde is able to resume his responsibilities.”  
  
“Yes, sir…”  
  
“We’ll discuss this further when or if Wilde returns to active status.” Chief Bogo stood and walked to the door and paused, looking down at her. “I will see you Thursday at noon in the lobby of Precinct One for your wedding.”  
  
Judy sat looking at the sheet of paper in her paws. Her nose twitched as she carefully slid the sheet of paper back into the manila envelope and lay it beside her on the seat. Judy pressed her face into her paws as her sobs started to wrack her frame.  
  
You are leaving him alone…. her inner voice spoke up.  
  
Judy took several deep breaths before she was able to calm herself. She picked up the envelope that contained their marriage license and ran for Nick’s hospital room.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick’s cracked open an eye at the sound of the door opening. It wasn’t really that loud; it had more to do with the absence of his mate. She hadn't been gone long when the dissipation of her scent alerted him that she had left the room. _At least I don’t feel like I’ve been ran over by a truck anymore, he thought to himself._  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked quietly.  
  
“I'm awake Fluff,” Nick said softly.  
  
“I’m sorry…” Judy said as she placed the manilla envelope in the chair. She hesitated slightly before she unbuttoned her pants and pushed them down, wanting nothing more than to feel fur on fur contact with her mate.  
  
“For?”  
  
“Being selfish, putting your life in danger, not following protocol.” Judy sniffed back tears as she climbed up onto the bed. “For being a dumb bunny.”  
  
Nick’s eyes opened fully, and he looked at her. “Hey, what brought that on?”  
  
“Chief Bogo came by, and I gave him my report…”  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
“Do you still want to be a cop?” Judy asked quietly.  
  
Nick was quiet for a while. “I don’t know. Right now, I'm not even sure if I feel comfortable in my own fur.”  
  
Judy nodded as she slipped under the blanket and snuggled herself against him. She felt guilty, for she didn’t feel she deserved the comfort he brought to her. “You don't have to be, you know?”  
  
Nick shrugged in the dim light as he turned onto his side and pulled her against his chest. “What would I do then?”  
  
“We could do anything…” Judy said as his arms wrapped around her.  
  
“Are you saying you don't want to be a cop anymore, Judy?” Nick asked, his nose finding its spot between her ears.  
  
“It’s different now…..” Judy admitted.  
  
Nick’s tongue flicked out and gave her a soft lick between the ears. “How so?”  
  
Judy gathered her thoughts. “I have more to lose now, I guess.”  
  
“Judy….” he said softly.  
  
“I know you won't ask me to give up my dream. You’re not selfish…. Well, at least where it comes to me you’re not. But is it a dream worth having if I lose the mammal I love the most? It’s selfish of me to keep putting you in danger like this….” Her voice started to crack at the end, her emotions running rampant.  
  
Nick pressed a fingertip to her lips, silencing her. “I follow you willingly, Fluff. You have never demanded.”  
  
“I have never asked either. Do you still want to be a cop, Nick?” Judy asked softly.  
  
“Maybe. I need some time Fluff….”  
  
“Take all the time you need.” Judy took a deep breath and released it slowly not yet ready to tell him about her suspension. Nick’s tail curled up under her chin as his body curled around her. She sighed, and her small paws latched onto the fluffy appendage gently. She tried to relax, but the conversation with Bogo kept playing over and over again in her head. Her eyes widened as she felt the raspy texture of Nick’s tongue against the base of her right ear.  
  
“Why are you doing that?” she asked quietly.  
  
“Doing what?” he asked sleepily.  
  
“You keep licking me…”  
  
“I do?” Nick asked, sounding more alert and awake.  
  
“You do.”  
  
“Sorry…” he mumbled as he moved his nose from between her ears.  
  
“Just save it for when we’re at home, ok?” Judy asked, but she could tell by his breathing he was already asleep again, leaving her alone with her thoughts.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“NO!” Nick all but screamed as he jerked himself awake. His breathing was ragged and raspy in his chest. Tears streamed down his face as the feeling of overwhelming hopelessness and failure weighed heavily on his conscience. His eyes darted around the room, confused.  
  
“Nick?” He heard Judy’s soft, sleepy voice.  
  
 _She didn’t die, just a dream, I didn’t kill her…._  
  
His eyes slowly focused on her. “Judy?” His voice was raw with emotions.  
  
“I’m here, you’re ok; it was just a dream….” she said softly.  
  
“Just a dream….” he repeated as he rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. His chest heaved.  
  
“Do you want to talk about it?” Judy asked as she sat up at his side.  
  
“Not really,” Nick said.  
  
“You know dreams are our mind’s way of processing past events…” Judy started. “Do you want me to call the nurse?”  
  
“No, I think I'm ok.” Nick turned his gaze down at her. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too,” Judy replied. As she laid her head down onto his chest, she felt him tense and then start to relax. She felt his arms wrap around her and pull her, so she was more laying on his chest. Her head was rising gently with each breath he took.  
  
She had thought he had gone back to sleep when he started talking.  
  
“I was in Cuppaw’s basement….. There were….” Nick paused  
  
“There were what, Nick?”  
  
“Bodies…. Dozens….hundreds…. Their eyes were staring at me accusingly. They all smelled like you,” Nick answered, his voice just above a whisper. “I could hear the sounds of a fight.”  
  
“What happened next?” Judy prompted softly.  
  
“I moved through the bodies; they parted like grass…..” Nick closed his eyes. “I saw that Jack was on top of you, getting ready to hit you. I leaped and pulled him off you, but….” Nick took a shaky breath. “When I opened my jaws, it wasn't Jack. It was you; I had…..” Nick swallowed.  
  
Judy hugged him, her arms pressed tight against the sides of his chest. “What did you do, Nick?”  
  
“I had torn out your throat…” Nick answered just above a whisper.  
  
Judy moved her paws from his sides to his cheeks and caressed them softly.  
  
“You would never hurt me. Do you know how I know that?” Judy asked softly.  
  
“How?”  
  
“You were under the effects of Nighthowler. I offered you my throat to make it easier for you because I knew you would remember. You didn’t take it. My pants were down, so you could have taken me then and there. You didn’t do it. Do you remember what you did do?” Judy asked as she moved up until her head was just under his muzzle.  
  
“Yes…” Nick answered softly.  
  
“What did you do?” Judy prompted.  
  
“I protected you…”  
  
“Even from Fangmeyer. She said she wasn't sure she would win that fight, and she’s many times your size. But most importantly, I'm not afraid of you. I love you, and you will not hurt me.”  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
As she waited for the district attorney, Skye watched the sunset over the cityscape. His assistants had assured her that he would see her this day. He was just running late because of a last-minute court hearing.  
  
Skye honestly wasn't that surprised, what with the hornet's nest that her cousin and the bunny cop had stirred up. She looked down at the city and shook her head. Skye wondered what would have happened if she had sent a warning to Nick. There was no love lost between her and her cousin. Her father had warned her to stay away from the no good hustler.  
  
Skye’s left ear swiveled as the door opened.  
  
“Sorry for the delay, Miss Lukraak. Seems once you get bail denied for someone their attorney seems to try to pull strings…” she heard from behind her.  
  
Skye turned and watched as the otter climbed a set of stairs mounted to one side of the conference table and sat down at a smaller table and chair on top. The otter was dressed in a black well-cut suit with a white shirt and a dark blue tie. His sea green eyes contrasted with the dark brown, almost black, of his fur.  
  
“It’s perfectly ok, Mr.…”  
  
“Fisher, or you can call me Luke,” Luke Fisher introduced himself. “Please, have a seat.”  
  
Skye nodded and sat down in the larger seat across from the district attorney.  
  
“Did you have an enjoyable meeting with Mr. Savage?” Luke asked.  
  
Skye thought for a moment. “Enjoyable isn't a word I would have used…. Liberating, maybe, but not enjoyable.”  
  
Luke nodded as he studied the facial expressions of the vixen across from him. Her facial expressions, for the most part, were neutral.  
  
“Tell me Miss Lukraak, why come forward?”  
  
Skye studied the otter’s eyes. “Because I want to watch his world burn,” she said flatly as she watched Luke open his briefcase and pull out a notepad, pen, and tape recorder.  
  
“What did he do?” Luke asked.  
  
“How I answer that question will depend greatly on what protections I receive,” Skye answered.  
  
“Do you feel you need protection?” the district attorney asked.  
  
“My lawyer seemed to think it might be prudent,” Skye answered.  
  
Luke studied her for a moment. “I’m very interested in what you may have to say, Miss Lukraak. But I need a show of good faith…”  
  
“What kind of good faith would you require, Mr. Fisher?” Skye asked, her voice going somewhat soft and innocent.  
  
“At least some proof that you say is true.”  
  
Skye reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out her phone. She could feel the district attorney’s eyes on her, watching her warily. She typed in the passcode on her phone, pulled up her MP3 player, and pressed play.  
  
“I don't care about my debt. I just want a piece of that dumb bunny’s ass while the fox watches,” said the recording of Jack Savage, while a wet slurping sound could be heard in the background.  
  
Skye locked her phone and looked into Luke Fisher’s eyes. “So tell me, Mr. Fisher, what kind of protections can I have?”  
  
“You are aware…”  
  
“That you can seize my phone and force me to unlock it? Yes, I am aware of that. But I am also aware that the Mammal Data Protections Act keeps me from having to divulge passwords to, say, the cloud storage where the rest of the audio recordings are stored,” Skye answered flatly, her innocent voice once again gone.  
  
Luke leaned back in his chair. “Very sly, Miss Lukraak.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
The two stared at each other for many minutes. “What do you want?”  
  
“I would like to have immunity for any crimes I may have unknowingly been an accessory to,” Skye stated flatly.  
  
“How did you get this recording?” Luke asked.  
  
“Jack liked to feel powerful while on the phone,” Skye answered.  
  
“Meaning what?”  
  
Skye’s ears fell against her head, and she looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. “I was giving him head at the time he was on the phone.”  
  
Luke and Skye stared at each other for a very long time before he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. “Bring me that folder please,” he said as the call connected.  
  
“You will have your immunity, Miss Lukraak,” Luke said, with sympathy in his eyes.  
  
“Thank you,” Skye said softly. “Can I ask you a personal question, Mr. Fisher?”  
  
“I don't see why not; I have a feeling I will be asking quite a few of you this evening.”  
  
“Do you have a mate?” Skye asked.  
  
“I did; unfortunately, she died in childbirth,” Luke answered.  
  
“My condolences. Did your children survive?”  
  
“No, my pups passed with their mother. Why do you ask?”  
  
“The price I paid for fame, I believe, was my mate,” Skye asked as she looked out the window again, watching the colors of the evening sky change.  
  
The knocking at the door pulled Skye’s attention from the window. She watched as a wolf in a cheap suit handed the district attorney a large folder.  
  
“Here you are, Miss Lukraak. I believe everything is in order,” Luke said as he handed Skye the folder.  
  
Skye opened the folder and started reading. Amazingly, it was only a single page, in simple terms, granting her immunity for any crimes she may have knowingly or unknowingly been a part of in return for her testimony against Jack Savage.  
  
Skye picked up the pen on the table and signed her name before handing the folder back to Luke.  
  
“Shall we start?” Luke asked, and Skye just nodded.  
  
Luke turned on the tape recorder. “Can you state your name, age, and date of birth for the record please?”  
  
“My name is Skye Marie Lukraak, I am 32 years old, and I was born on July 2, 1985,” Skye said.  
  
“Let the record show that this interview was conducted on September 25th, 2017; start time is approximately 17:34,” Luke stated. “I understand that you will be providing us audio recordings of conversations that Mr. Savage has had.”  
  
“Yes, I have audio recordings.”  
  
“How where they obtained?”  
  
“By my cell phone, while Jack and I were, in some cases, intimate,” Skye answered.  
  
“Do you know the date of the conversation regarding Detective Hopps and Wilde?” Luke asked.  
  
“September 23rd, 2017.”  
  
“Time?”  
  
“Late evening. I'm not sure of the time, sorry, it was well after sunset.”  
  
“Do you remember the conversation?”  
  
“Jack was talking to a mammal he called Martin. They talked about a debt that was owed, and that Jack would still happily make his payments on it if he had the chance to rape the bunny cop while the fox watched,” Skye said.  
  
“Why did Mr. Savage want to rape Detective Hopps?” Luke asked.  
  
“She spurned him. He had always gotten his way, and she turned her back on him for my cousin,” Skye said.  
  
“Detective Wilde?”  
  
“Yes; he’s my cousin.”  
  
“I see. Do you know why Detective Hopps spurned Mr. Savage?” Luke asked.  
  
“Jack got greedy. He wanted Detective Hopps to be at his side for publicity while still having an active relationship with me. But honestly, I don't think she had feelings for him anyway,” Skye said.  
  
“What makes you think that?” Luke asked.  
  
“Hopps walked in on us…..being intimate. I saw her face. Most would be angry at walking in to see their boyfriend being with another female. Hopps…..looked more relieved, like she’d been handed a get out of jail free card,” Skye said as she looked down at her paws. “I guess in a way, she was.”  
  
“What makes you think that?” Luke asked.  
  
“Jack, for the length of time I have known him, has been controlling and manipulative. He likes to have leverage on mammals so he can get his way.”  
  
“How so?”  
  
“Jack has held my career hostage for 17 years, since the beginning. Almost every part I’ve had, Jack has had a paw in it. I am a fox, Mr. Fisher. Even with the inroads my cousin has made, it’s still tough for any mammal to take a fox seriously in any field other than one,” Skye answered.  
  
“Which is?”  
  
“Being a criminal.”  
  
“Would it not then be in your best interest to help Mr. Savage stay free?”  
  
“Having a rapist run free, Mr. Fisher, does no one any good.”  
  
“Then why haven't you come forward before?”  
  
“Because he was content with me.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Good morning, Zootopia! MMMhmmmm we have some tasty nuggets of news for you this morning!” Lacy Longtail said into the camera in an overly bright and cheerful tone of voice that hinted at maybe one too many espressos for five a.m.. She was a brown furred squirrel with bright orange eyes, wearing a sleeveless white sundress.  
  
“Formal charges have been filed against actor Jack Savage, and boy has that bunny gotten himself into sooommme troooouble!” she said, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t want to be in that boy's shoes.”  
  
“City officials announced yesterday that the Leapersons will be moved to the Tri-Burrow area by the end of October. But something tells me that we have not heard the last of that case yet,” Lacy said in a not very often used firm tone.  
  
“Oh, and look, the ZPD is hosting a marriage! How exciting!” Lacy’s eyes went wide as she read the teleprompter. “My, my, that girl is going to get eaten,” Lacy said, sounding perhaps a little bit jealous. “The ZPD is announcing that the Precinct One building will be closed to the public for the wedding of Detective Judith Hopps and Detective Nicholas Wilde this Thursday between 11am and 1pm. “  
  
“This morning, we follow up on our leading story. The district attorney's office filled formal charges late last night against actor Jack Savage,” Lacy Longtail said after a commercial break. “Savage, as you know, is the leading actor of the Savage Sea line of techno-thriller spy action films, and oh boy, those bunny buns they showed in the last one…. Lord, have mercy” Lucy fanned herself before continuing. “To date, they’ve grossed more than 2.2 billion dollars for Zooney Entertainment and have garnered almost every mammal involved in them some sort of award, from Best Leading Actor all the way down to Best Sound Production in a Feature Film.”  
Lucy attempted to look serious as she started to read the list of charges. “The charges filed include: conspiracy to commit rape and murder, attempted rape and…..” She paused as her eyes went wide and swallowed. “He did this?” She paused as some off-camera mumbling can be heard. “Right…. As my producer has reminded me, all mammals are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But I don't think I'm going to be watching any Jack Savage films anytime soon. For shame, though; bye-bye, bunny buns.”  
  
“Bonnie? What did that fox do to our daughter?” Stu asked a few minutes later.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick's eyes opened groggily to the early morning light that streamed in through the hospital room window. He could feel the small paws that had somehow found their way under the hospital gown that he wore. With his limited field of vision, he attempted to discover what had awoken him at such an ungodly hour.  
  
Nick remembered the feel of her paws as they rubbed his ears the in the middle of the night to settle him down after he awoke from his nightmare. Where had she learned that? he thought to himself, knowing it wasn't the first time she had done it. His mother had done the same thing when he was younger.  
  
Nick’s stomach rumbled as he felt her shift and curl into him more. Judy’s left thigh pressed between his legs and her foot hooked behind his knee. The sound of her breathing subtly changed.  
  
 _She’ll wake up soon,_ he thought to himself.  
  
Nick turned his nose down and nestled it gently between her ears. The scent of her slowly washed over his senses. He fought hard against the instinct to bathe her with his tongue, not wanting to wake her just yet.  
  
 _“I’ve never asked either. Do you still want to be a cop, Nick?”_ he heard her soft voice in his mind.  
  
Nick went over the question in his mind; the answer to him wasn't as simple as yes or no. It was nebulous, and the answer changed moment to moment. He moved his nose from between her ears, the need to physically show her his love and concern for her well being just too great.  
  
Last night if you had asked, he would have said no. No, he didn't want to be a cop anymore. But now, in the dawning of the early morning light, things didn't seem as bad. His stomach rumbled again, letting him know that was definitely what woke him up.  
  
The rumbling of his stomach interrupted his thoughts.  
  
“Hungry, Slick?” Judy asked softly in the early morning gloom.  
  
 _Instincts,_ he thought ruefully. _It feels like my own body wants to betray me at every turn. Every male that comes close to her feels like a potential rival, even if I know they are not. I’m assessing every other predator to see if they are friend or foe. Here I sit, feeling like I'm starving, and my body wants me to go find her breakfast._  
  
Judy’s legs stretched slightly, and he could feel the one that had locked behind his calf tighten somewhat as she rubbed her chin across the upper portion of his chest sleepily. He turned his head and watched her eyes crack open once, then close and start to open again.  
  
“Yeah, sorry Fluff, I haven't had anything since…” Nick frowned, as he was unsure of when he’d last eaten. “Pancakes, I think, before we went to Buccellati’s.”  
  
He watched her face as she processed the information for a few seconds before her eyes snapped wide open.  
  
“Sweet cheese and crackers, they haven't fed you since you got here?” Judy asked, her concern for him resonating in her voice. “Why didn’t you call for the nurse?”  
  
“I didn’t want to wake you up…” Nick said softly, realizing how silly the excuse sounded to him. But a part of him felt pride in putting her needs before his own.  
  
Judy shook her head and pressed the call button. “If you're that hungry Slick, you should get something to eat.” As if to punctuate her point, his stomach rumbled again.  
  
Nick's ears splayed out as he was unsure how to tell her that his instincts were telling him to take care of her first. He closed his eyes again and just gave out a huff.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked as they waited for the nurse.  
  
Nick sighed. “Yeah, Carrots?”  
  
“What's wrong? Why didn't you ask for some food?” Judy asked as she sat up and looked down at him on the bed.  
  
Nick groaned and turned over onto his back as he looked up at the ceiling.  
  
“Know what? It's ok, I…” Judy started, and was interrupted by his paw pad pressed against her lips.  
  
“Give me a minute, Fluff; this is kinda like explaining what the color purple smells like,” Nick said, his eyes turning toward her slowly.  
  
Judy nodded as she settled in to wait.  
  
“Remember what I said about the vulpine culture around food?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy nodded slowly. “You said it’s to show you’re a good provider….”  
  
Nick nodded. “Now me asking another mammal to bring me food, food, mind you, that I am not going to pay for, feels like I can't provide.”  
  
“Nick, you’re in the hospital…”  
  
“Judy, I know, it's just that…” Nick sighed. “I have all these different feelings, all these different things screaming at me that it's like I'm forgetting something. This morning, it was ‘don't get up, make sure you stay warm. Make sure you’re safe.’”  
  
“Nick, that's sweet and all, but I would have been fine you silly fox,” Judy said looking down at him.  
  
“I know it’s just that… UGGH! I feel like I'm going through puberty all over again!” he exclaimed as he threw an arm over his eyes.  
  
“Well, you see Slick, you’re at the age where your body is going to go through some changes…” Judy started.  
  
“Carrots, please…”  
  
“And you might find yourself becoming more and more interested in females, does in your case,” Judy continued.  
  
Nick whined pitifully.  
  
“And, well, Dr. Treeroot said last night that there was a high probability that you’d go through some changes. Specifically, more muscle mass, thicker fur, and possibly negative behavioral changes,” Judy said, looking thoughtful.  
  
“So it really is going to be like puberty all over again. Please tell me I'm not going to have the voice changes all over again. That was horrible enough the first time.”  
  
“No, he didn’t say anything about your voice changing, but he did say there was a chance you could get more possessive,” Judy said as she looked down at him.  
  
“I'll try to control myself, Carrots.”  
  
Judy looked pensive for a few seconds. But before she could say anything, the nurse knocked and walked in.  
  
“Good morning Mr. Wilde and Miss Hopps. How are you feeling this morning, Mr. Wilde?”  
  
“A bit sore still, but I don’t feel like I’ve been run over by a truck,” Nick answered.  
  
“Nick could use some breakfast,” Judy said.  
  
“We could bring you up some, but honestly, breakfast here isn't that great. We do have discharge orders for you, and there is a fantastic place just down the street,” the nurse said.  
  
“Great!” Nick exclaimed, not liking to spend much time in the hospital.  
  
“Dr. Treeroot would like for you to follow up in a few weeks. He wants you to take it easy and get used to being you.”  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
“Great! I’ll be right back with some forms for you to fill out.”  
  
“You were about to say something, Fluff?” Nick asked as the nurse closed the door.  
  
“It can wait a bit Slick. I’ll tell you at breakfast,” Judy answered.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick breathed deeply as he took his first real breath of air outside of the hospital in days and almost gagged.  
  
“Something wrong?” Judy looked up at him inquisitively.  
  
“Smells are off,” Nick answered as he shook his head.  
  
“How so?”  
  
“The city stinks,” Nick answered as he looked down at her.  
  
Judy nodded. “I noticed it had a unique smell when I first moved here.” She then shrugged. “I haven't noticed it for a while though.”  
  
Nick snorted. “I never noticed it before. In some ways, it's a confusing mixture of exhaust, ozone and too many mammals shoved into an area.” Nick shook his head. “I just never noticed it before, or I’d gone nose blind to it.”  
  
Judy nodded as they kept walking down the street. “Can I ask a question?”  
  
“Of course Fluff, you can ask me anything.”  
  
“How did you know that zebra?” Judy asked.  
  
“What zebra? We haven’t seen any zebras lately.” Nick attempted to deflect as he opened the diner’s door for her.  
  
Judy walked inside. “The one at the museum.”  
  
Nick’s ears fell, and his shoulders slumped a bit more.  
  
“Just seat yourselves wherever, I’ll be with you in just a moment!” The leopard waitress called out.  
  
They walked over to one of the booths beside the front window and climbed up into the seats before looking over the menus.  
  
Nick’s eyes roamed over the menu as he gathered his thoughts.  
  
“What are you going to have, Slick?” Judy asked.  
  
“I'm thinking pancakes, turkey bacon, and scrambled eggs,” Nick answered. “Yourself?”  
  
“Waffles with a side of berry melody.”  
  
Nick nodded as he closed his menu.  
  
“I know them, both the woodchuck, Allen Monax and the zebra, Martin Flannigan. Allen was the woodchuck that muzzled me at the Junior Ranger Scout pack initiation.” Nick shook his head. “I wish I could say that the Junior Ranger Scout’s was as bad as they got.”  
  
“They didn’t stop there?” Judy asked as she closed her menu.  
  
“Sorry about that, so what can I get you two?” The leopard waitress asked as she came up to their table.  
  
“I would like turkey bacon, a stack of pancakes, and some scrambled eggs,” Nick answered.  
  
The waitress nodded and shot Judy a concerned look.  
  
“Can I get waffles with a side of your berry melody please?” Judy asked.  
  
“Ummm, sure,” the leopard responded, a bit taken aback by Judy being ok with Nick’s order. “Anything to drink?”  
  
“Do you have carrot juice?” Judy asked.  
  
The leopard nodded. “We do.”  
  
“I would like a glass of that.”  
  
“Coffee please,” Nick answered.  
  
“Ok, I'll have that right out for you two,” the leopard waitress said as she gathered up their menus.  
  
“So, as you were saying about Allen and Martin?” Judy promoted.  
  
“Martin started dealing drugs about three years later. Allen acted as his lookout and somewhat enforcer. They mostly dealt in marijuana and catnip at Meadowlands High. After high school is when things started getting interesting,” Nick said as the waitress brought their drinks.  
  
Judy watched as Nick added cream and sugar to his coffee. “How did it get interesting?”  
  
“Well, remember how I told you Mr. Big purged the drug side of his operations?” Nick asked as he stirred his coffee.  
  
“Yeah, I do,” Judy said as she took a sip of her carrot juice.  
  
“Well, that left a power vacuum in that market. One that Martin was able to start to fill, so more and more smugglers and suppliers started to work with him. Then the rumors get a little bit sketchy…” Nick took a sip of his coffee.  
  
“Sketchy how?”  
  
“Well, if I remember right, instead of the suppliers working with Martin they started to work for him; his little empire out of the Meadowlands grew astronomically, and I now believe it,” Nick said as he looked down at his coffee.  
  
“Why now?”  
  
“Because you don’t use a movie star to come after a pair of cops just because they’d started to carve up someone else's pie.”  
  
Nick and Judy looked up as the waitress brought their food. She placed three plates in front of Nick, and a plate and bowl in front of Judy.  
  
Nick picked up his fork and knife and began to devour his pancakes. Judy shook her head and took a bite of her waffles.  
  
“You make a point. I suppose we should maybe send a text or call Fangmeyer, but I'm pretty sure they already figured that out,” Judy said just before taking a bite of her berry melody.  
  
Nick eyed the bunny as he chewed on a piece of turkey bacon. “You feeling ok, Fluff?” he asked after a few minutes.  
  
“Yeah, I'm great actually, especially now that you seem to be ok,” Judy said.  
  
“Well, you seem off. Anything you need to tell me?” Nick observed her as he ate a bite of his eggs.  
  
Judy fought hard to keep her ears erect and only partially succeeded. _While there is something I should tell him, I don’t have to right away,_ she thought, and decided before she answered him. “Nothing that can't wait a while longer.”  
  
Nick nodded. “Does your mom need help with the train ticket?” he asked, changing the subject.  
  
“No. Mom should be here tomorrow night.”  
  
Nick nodded. “We should go pick up our rings after this.”  
  
Judy’s eyes lit up. “Sweet blushing blueberries, I’d forgotten all about that!”  
  
Nick smiled as he watched her start to eat faster.  
  
“Slow down Carrots, Buccellati’s isn't open for at least another hour,” Nick said before polishing off his pancakes.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy all but vibrated with excitement as they exited the Zuber. Her foot thumped against the sidewalk as Nick took what seemed to be an extraordinarily long time to pay the fare and get out.  
  
“Relax Fluff, it’s not going anywhere,” Nick said as he finally slid out of the car and shut the door.  
  
Judy huffed at him and looked toward the door of the store.  
  
Nick smiled down at her and gently turned her head up to look up at him with a claw under her chin.  
  
Judy’s eyes went wide and then slowly closed as he bent down and kissed her lips softly.  
  
“There, that's a much better look on you Fluff,” Nick said as he opened the door of Buccellati’s for her.  
  
Judy tried to glare to at him, but the smug smile of satisfaction that spread across his muzzle made it difficult to be too angry with him.  
  
“Why thank you, Mr. Wilde,” Judy said in a false posh voice as she walked through the opened door.  
  
“Certainly, Miss Hopps.” Nick said in an equally posh sounding voice.  
  
“Good morning Mr. Wilde and Miss Hopps.” The female wolf greeted them as they walked into the overly posh shop.  
  
“Good morning!” Judy said, and the excitement in her voice caused Nick to smile. “We are here…”  
  
“To pick up your rings of course,” the wolf finished for her. “Just one moment and I’ll retrieve them from the back.”  
  
Nick's eyes drifted from around the store to where they fell on the rabbit beside him. The shirt that she wore was several sizes too big, so much so that one of her shoulders hung out of the neck like a throwback to the 80s. He could see her fight hard to steady her right foot and keep from thumping against the hardwood floor.  
  
The wolf returned and sat two small boxes down in front of Nick and one down in front of Judy. “Now Nicholas, I understand one of these is for Miss Hopps now and the other is for in a few days, but please inspect the rings to make sure they are what you had in mind.”  
  
Nick opened both boxes and smiled, imagining the rings joined on her finger.  
  
“Father put some small rare earth magnets in the bands, so it should hold together well when both are placed on her paw,” the wolf explained.  
  
“They are beautiful and perfect; thank you,” Nick said sincerely as he closed the one containing the fox half of the heart. He could feel Judy’s eyes boring into him and then switch to the ring box in front of him before moving back to him.  
  
Nick smiled as he palmed the small ring in his right paw and closed the box. He smoothly dropped to a knee in front of her, noticing her eyes were still on the little ring box.  
  
“Judith,” Nick said softly as he took her left paw in his left paw.  
  
“Nick, you said…” Judy started as she slowly turned her attention to him.  
  
“Judith, like my life before you came crashing into it, the box is empty,” Nick said smoothly with a warm smile on his face.  
  
Judy’s ears fell down the back of her head. Nick took her left paw into his and slipped the ring onto her finger with ability and skill born from years of practice as he softly kissed the knuckles of her left paw.  
  
Nick stood up and looked at the wolf. “How much do I owe you?”  
  
“The amount is on the invoice form,” the wolf answered, smiling.  
  
Nick looked at the form and nodded as he pulled out his wallet and dug out his card and placed it on top of the invoice. “Just give me a moment to increase my daily spending limit,” Nick said as he pulled out his phone.  
  
“Nick, you promised!” Judy all but hissed at him.  
  
Nick smiled as he unlocked his phone and tapped away with his claw tips. “So I did, and I kept my promise, Judith.”  
  
The female wolf behind the counter smiled, as she would have missed the sleight of paw the fox had pulled as well if she hadn't been looking for it.  
  
“But…” Judy’s ears twitched as he gestured to her left paw. Her eyes slowly tracked down to the middle finger of her left paw.  
  
Nick smiled as he watched her. “You can run my card now,” he told the wolf with a wink. He watched Judy turn her paw this way and that, watching the amethyst glint and sparkle in the artificial light of the store.  
  
“Like it?” he asked after a few moments. Nick’s smug smile grew more substantial, as the look in her eyes told him all that he needed to know.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy had demanded to be taken home. The emphasis she had placed on the word taken was not lost on Nick. He had watched her snap a quick picture of the ring and post it to her Muzzlebook page. The rest of the ride to the apartment building had been almost completely silent, with meaningful but very heated glances exchanged between the two.  
  
Civility lasted just long enough for the floor button on the elevator to be pressed and the doors to shut. Judy launched herself at her fox, who caught her as her legs wrapped around his waist and arms wrapped around his neck. The kiss they shared was heated, pointed, and passionate; their tongues entwined, disengaged, and then entwined again. Judy delicately ran her tongue along one of his curved canines,and the low rumbling growl from Nick caused her to moan softly into his mouth.  
  
As they broke the kiss, a thin strand of saliva connected their mouths. She looked up into his eyes to see a rolling sea of dark green that reminded her heavily of the skies just before a particularly violent thunderstorm. The look of want and need in them sent a shiver down her spine that caused her tail to shake.  
  
Nick’s paws squeezed the cheeks of her ass and set her back down as the elevator came to a stop at their floor. Her paws still gripped his shirt as the elevator doors came open to show their wolf neighbors.  
  
“Hey Sam, Kara, how are you this morning?” Neither Nick nor Judy waited for their reaction as they took off down the hall to their apartment door. The door to their apartment banged open and then slammed shut.  
  
Judy sauntered over to the counter and put down the manilla envelope containing their marriage license and the black velvet box containing Nick’s wedding band. She could feel his eyes on her. She could hear the subtle click his claws made against the polished hardwood floor. Her mind raced with the possibilities. Would he take me bent over the counter? she wondered. Or maybe drag me off deeper into our den?  
  
She had purposefully riled him up in the elevator. Stirred his passions to see how he would react. She could feel his hot breath wash over the back of her neck. She fought hard to keep her ears ramrod straight, even if she could feel her insides melt with desire for him.  
  
Nick could smell her desire for him; it rolled through his senses thick rich and heady. Lavender and lilacs with just a slight undercurrent of uncertainty. He knew without a doubt she was unafraid of him, so the uncertainty wasn't fear.  
  
Judy sighed. She knew he could be extraordinarily gentle, but she hadn’t riled him up so that he’d be gentle this time. This time, she wanted to be taken, to be claimed, to show him physically that he wouldn't hurt her and she wouldn't break.  
  
“Is that your plan, Mr. Fox? To sniff a poor bunny up?” Judy asked playfully.  
  
“Maybe,” Nick answered just before nipping at the fur at the base of her neck.  
  
Judy moaned softly at the feel of his teeth racking through her fur. Her paws unbuttoned and unzipped her pants; the rest of her clothes she didn't care much about, but finding jeans that looked good on her was a pain. She moaned again as she felt his tongue lick along the right side of her neck up to her jawline.  
  
Nick wrapped both paws around her slender waist, holding her in place. The scent of a horny bunny caused a feral growl deep in his chest. His nose pressed against the side of her neck breathing deeply of her as his right paw turned slightly, brushing his leathery paw pads across the front of her panties.  
  
Judy moaned as his finger found its mark, and her thighs spread slightly to allow him access. Visions of his teeth, claws, and vertically slit eyes flashed in her mind as his tongue slowly snaked across the side of her throat once again. She shuddered as she felt the tips of his canines rake through the fur alongside her neck.  
  
Nick growled low in his throat; the smell radiating off of his bunny was beyond intoxicating. His finger slid lower, forcing her pants down off of her hips and tail. He smiled as he felt her thighs shift apart, granting his larger digit access between them; his smile grew even smugger at the damp spot he found.  
  
Judy moaned, and her head rolled back as she felt his finger slowly travel up and down her panty covered slit. Her eyes opened briefly to russet and cream fur. One half of her mind screamed at her to run and hide, that the vicious predator was going to eat her. The other half of her mind hoped that he would just before he slammed himself into her knot deep. Her paws gripped the edge of the counter.  
  
Nick felt the wet spot growing, so he knew she was close. She was shaking in his paws like the last leaf of autumn still clinging to the tree. The oh so sweet mewing sound she made was music to his ears, especially since he knew that he was the cause of it. And the scent of her… oh gods, the scent, he thought to himself. The tightness of his pants was becoming excruciatingly painful.  
  
Judy’s heart hammered in her chest. She knew she was close, she could feel it; the edge was just right there, and his paws played her like a well-tuned instrument, keeping her just right at the edge. “Please,” she pleaded softly as she attempted to grind her hips down against his finger, trying to get just a bit more friction, a bit more pressure. The growl he emitted against her throat was almost enough to send her tumbling over the edge on its own.  
The sound of her pleading stroked his ego in a pleasurable way. Far be it from me to deny her any longer, he thought to himself as he pressed his fingertip against the soaked wet spot of her panties that marked her entrance, the rest of his finger laid along her folds and pressed up against her tightly.  
  
“Yesss…” Judy hissed as her climax rolled through her body, her right paw leaving the countertop to hold his in place between her thighs as she shuddered through her orgasm.  
  
Nick kept his finger moving slightly and growled. He wanted her, and he wanted her now.  
  
Judy squeaked slightly in surprise as he lifted her and bent her over the counter top. Her face turned to the right and looked back at him as he pulled her pants and panties down and off of her in one quick motion. She watched as they were tossed aside. Her eye locked onto his, and the feral look in them sent a shiver of both fear and excitement racing down her back. She moaned as she felt his claws rake through the fur on the back of her thighs. She spread her legs as best as she could with her feet still inches away from touching the floor.  
  
Nick growled as his head dipped down and nipped her hard on the right cheek of her butt. The moan and shudder the bunny let out surprised him. Nick’s paws massaged the firm cheeks of her butt gently; lower down, his thumbs spread her nether lips as well.  
  
Judy gasped as she felt him spread her, and her ears immediately flushed. She had never felt so exposed and vulnerable to him. She could feel his eyes on her most intimate places and was about to say something when his tongue connected with her clit and gave her a long, languid lick down to her entrance. Her paws gripped the edge of the counter, and he kept licking her, again and again, her eyes screwed shut her embarrassment at being on display for him quickly forgotten.  
  
Judy moaned loudly as she felt his tongue press into her, then whimpered when he pulled away. Her eyes shot open as his long canines pushed to either side of her tail she could feel each of the sharp pointy teeth where they pressed against her butt and pubic bone. Judy held still as her heart hammered in her chest. Judy moaned again as she felt his tongue flick back up the length of her slit and press once more into her body.  
  
Nick's eyes closed. The taste of her was intoxicating, his tongue twisted and turned as he pushed it into her, then pulled, savoring the savory sweet flavor of the horny rabbit. The mews, moans, and grunts she made as he feasted on her quickly became music to his ears as his tail swished behind him happily.  
  
“Oh, Nick…” Judy moaned as her body tensed with her orgasm, her body shook and shuddered as the indescribable pleasure rolled through her body. Her tail wiggled slightly in his mouth causing him to growl at her low and threateningly. The growl did nothing more than to cause another orgasm to tear its way through her body, her left leg shaking uselessly as she gripped the edge of the counter even tighter.  
  
“N-nn-no more, please, just take me to bed you dumb fox,” Judy gasped.  
  
Nick withdrew his tongue from her with agonizing slowness.  
  
“Dumb?” Judy heard him ask. She could hear the smugness in his voice.  
  
“My sly, orally talented fox…” Judy corrected.  
  
Nick licked his lips; his lower jaw was coated in not just her juices but also his own saliva. “Maybe my plan was to take you right here, bent over the counter,” he interrupted her.  
  
“Bed...please…..” Judy all but begged. “You can have me anywhere else some other time; right now I just want to be in our bed.”  
  
Nick’s eyes softened as he scooped her up into his arms bridal style and carried her down the hall.  
  
Judy looked up at the fox as he carried her down the hall. _I have no real problem in being taken on the kitchen counter, though,_ she thought to herself.  
  
 _Or the arm of the couch,_ the somewhat always perpetually horny side of her brain spoke up.  
  
 _Or there,_ she agreed.  
  
 _Or the shower, or the wall beside the door, or…_  
  
 _I get the picture._ She reached up and cupped Nick’s muzzle, forcing the tod to look down at her. The look in his eyes was caught someplace between the vertically slit pupils of being savage and the more rounded pupils of him being entirely in control. The making him take her to the bedroom was more about her testing his control, as she knew once he started there was going to be no stopping him until he had his fill of her.  
  
Judy kissed him passionately as he stumbled with her through the door of their bedroom. The growl that rolled through Nick's throat warned her of how close he was to entirely giving in and taking what he needed from her.  
  
Nick set her down gently onto her feet beside the bed before reaching down and pulling the hospital shirt up over her head. The red tint to her inner ears relayed the embarrassment she still felt at being stripped by him.  
  
Judy stripped off her sports bra and dropped it to the floor before she reached for his pants. She looked up briefly to see him discard his shirt and watch her intensely as he unbuckled his belt. The rather large tent in his pants looked painful to her as she slowly unbuttoned and unzipped them.  
  
Judy swallowed nervously; while it had only been a few days since they were last intimate, she also felt things had changed. She hooked her paws into his boxers and pulled them away from him, freeing his foxhood. Judy smiled at the sigh of relief she heard Nick emit as his straining cock was released from his pants. She slowly pushed his pants and boxers down and helped him out of them.  
  
Nick groaned as she wrapped her paws around his cock. His eyes became half-lidded as he watched her. He wanted to take her then and there, feeling the driving need to feel his mate wrapped around him and to have her in his arms, but at the same time, he was curious about what she would do.  
  
Judy felt his eyes on her as she slowly stroked him. His cock was hard and hot in her paws. His knot hadn’t yet fully emerged from his sheath, but she knew that was only a matter of time. She knew the same could also be said for his self-control. It was just a matter of time before that snapped as well.  
  
“Get on the bed, Slick,” Judy said as she pulled her paws away from him.  
  
Nick groaned in frustration, but did as she asked and stretched out on his back on the bed. “You ask a lot of a guy, Fluff,” he said to her, his voice low and gravelly.  
  
“You’ll enjoy this, I promise…” she said as she crawled up onto the bed with him. Her mouth was just inches away from the throbbing mass of fox in front of her. Judy could hear the low growl from him as she bent forward and started to place small kisses along the length of his shaft; the growl slowly turned low and threateningly to that of a groan.  
  
Judy kept her paw stroking the base of him as she took the blunt head into her mouth and swirled her tongue around it. She knew she was playing with fire, but she just wanted to see how far she could push it until he broke and took what he wanted from her. She moaned at the taste and scent of him. I wonder if this is what it's like when he smells my heat? she thought to herself as she bobbed her head up and down on what she could fit into her small mouth.  
  
Judy's eyes opened as she heard the distinctive sound of his claws extending and moaned around him as he gently raked them through the fluff of her tail. She listened to his low guttural groan as his hips bucked up slightly.  
  
Judy squeezed his quickly forming knot lightly as she pulled her mouth off of him. She sat up and straddled his waist, her paws on his chest as she looked down at him. The gleam in his eyes told her that her teasing had almost gone too far. That he was just on the edge of control. “How do you want me, Slick?” she asked teasingly. “Bent over or on my back?”  
  
Judy squealed as her question wasn't answered with words but action. She had found what she was looking for, the limit of his control over the instinct that battled with him for dominance. She had no fear of him hurting her; he had already proven that he wouldn't. She dug her knees into the bed, lifting her butt up into the air and spread her thighs to allow him access.  
  
Nick growled, his left paw holding her down by her head, his right supporting most of his weight to her right side. He groaned as he slid his cock between the silky furred cheeks of her butt.  
  
Judy swallowed, reached back between them, and took hold of his shaft gently, lining him up with her entrance. She gasped as he thrust his length into her powerfully, burying himself almost knot deep inside of her body.  
  
Nick groaned as he felt her tight, hot body surround him. He started to thrust his cock into her, and the pace he set spoke of his desperate need. The little gasps she made as he took her drove him forward relentlessly. He grunted with each thrust into her, the pleasure her body brought him clouding his senses.  
  
“Yes!” she moaned loudly with each thrust into her body, her hips pushing back to meet him thrust for thrust. Her body attempted to clamp down on him as her orgasm rocked through her body and her hips slammed back into his all the harder. “More, Nick!” she moaned. “Knot your bunny!”  
  
Nick’s thrusts became short and strong as he drove his cock into her over and over again, his knot slamming into the lips of her sex with force. Even though this wasn't their first time, it still surprised Judy every time his knot forced its way into her body. Her knees gave out as she slid forward onto the bed. Her orgasm was causing her body to shudder and spasm around his length.  
  
Nick rode her down onto the bed his orgasm pulsating inside of her with each contraction her body made around his knot. His arms braced and held enough of his weight off of her that she could easily breathe. His nose found the crook of her neck and breathed deeply of her scent. His hips jerked as if he was trying to get deeper into her, causing both of them to moan in pleasure.  
  
It took many minutes for either of them to be able to form a complete thought.  
  
“Thanks, Slick, I needed that,” Judy said quietly as his tongue started to bathe the side of her face.  
  
Nick chuckled quietly. “I love you,” he said between licks.  
  
Judy smiled. It was a little annoying to be groomed like this by him, but a part of her understood his need to do it, and it was somewhat pampering. “I love you too.”  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Later that afternoon, Nick slept curled around Judy. Judy laid in the center of her foxy cocoon with her phone. She looked at the blank document for many minutes before her thumbs started to move on the screen's keyboard.  
  
Unlike her commencement speech for Nick’s Academy graduation, she had just one day to type out the vows that she felt in her heart would bind her to Nick.  
  
 _Serendipity,_ she silently prayed. _Please let me get this right._


	3. Episode 3: All of Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insulin shots are available at the concession stand.....
> 
> Thanks go out to lilwashu76 for continuing to edit this. Also, I wish to thank all of you that have stuck with me from the start of season 1. 
> 
> Enjoy!

# Episode 3: All of Me

  
  
“What would I do without your smart mouth  
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out  
Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can’t pin you down  
What’s going on in that beautiful mind  
I’m on your magical mystery ride  
And I’m so dizzy, don’t know what hit me, but I’ll be alright  
My head’s under water  
But I’m breathing fine  
You’re crazy, and I’m out of my mind  
'Cause all of me  
Loves all of you.”  
All of Me ~ John Legend  
  
  
Judy smiled down at the text messages coming in on her phone. She had spent the day cleaning the apartment; not that it was overly messy, but she wanted their home to make a good first impression on her mother.  
  
Bonnie: Bringing Cotton with me hope that is ok  
  
Judy: That's great!  
  
“Nick!” Judy called out. “Mom is bringing Cotton with her.”  
  
“Cotton…. Who’s that?” Nick asked as he flopped down onto the couch beside her.  
  
“Oh, just my favorite niece! She's sooo cute!” Judy thought for a moment. “It must have been Christmas when I last saw her. Can you make dinner tonight?”  
  
Judy looked up at him with her big amethyst eyes.  
  
Nick smiled down at her. “Can I make dinner?” Nick looked thoughtful as a teasing grin spread across his muzzle. “I do have the ability.”  
  
“Please, Nick?” Judy asked, her eyes getting glassy as she peered up at him.  
  
Nick stared into her eyes for a few moments. “Ok, ok! What did you have in mind, and remind me while we’re down at the precinct tomorrow to register your eyes as weapons of mass cuteness.”  
  
“Can you make pierogies??” Judy asked, sounding hopeful.  
  
“I can.” Nick thought for a moment. “Think you guys can stop at the grocery store and pick up some sour cream?”  
  
“You’re not coming with me to get them from the station?”  
  
“No, I'm going to rest here for a few minutes then get up and start making dinner,” Nick answered.  
  
“Ummm, we don’t have anymore?” Judy asked.  
  
“Pierogies? No, you had me fry up the last of them for you last week remember?” Nick asked with a smile.  
  
Judy nodded as she remembered.  
  
“Besides, it would be nice for your mother and niece to arrive to a nicely cooked meal,” Nick said softly.  
  
“Well, I kind of wanted you there with me to greet them. But you are right.”  
  
Nick looked over her and smiled. “I know you're nervous….”  
  
“I’m not nervous!”  
  
“Really? Then why did you wake me up at 7am to start cleaning a mostly clean apartment?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy's ears flushed and she looked away quickly. “Ok, maybe I am a little nervous.”  
  
Nick snorted. “I wouldn’t know why. It’s not like I didn't meet your mom at my academy graduation. Not that that was a little weird or anything.”  
  
“I wanted my parents to meet the mammal that was going to be watching my back.”  
  
“Oh, I watch your back all right.” Nick grinned down at her.  
  
“You know what I meant!”  
  
“Do I?” Nick paused as he touched his chin with a finger. “Maybe….”  
  
"OH! You insufferable fox!”  
  
“I may be an insufferable fox, but I am your insufferable fox,” Nick said as he gave her a quick peck on the lips before getting up and heading into the kitchen.  
  
“Not until tomorrow you’re not,” Judy said after the surprise of his kiss wore off.  
  
Nick turned and smiled at her. “Silly Fluff, tomorrow is just a formality.” Nick waved a paw at her before getting out the bag of potatoes.  
  
Judy stared at him as he washed his paws and pulled out one of his small paring knives. “What does that mean?”  
  
“It means, my dear Carrots, that for the rest of my days and then some you are stuck with me,” Nick answered as he started peeling potatoes. “As I have been a kept fox for a while now.”  
  
“How long, Nick?” Judy asked as he tossed the first potato into a pot.  
  
“Not important, Fluff,” Nick answered as he picked up another potato and started to peel it.  
  
“Just answer the question, please. Or I’ll break out the eyes again….” Judy mildly threatened.  
  
“Oh no, anything but that Fluff, there’s only so much weapons-grade cuteness a fox can take in a short time frame,” Nick said in mock horror, and then sighed. “I started to think of you as my bunny shortly after our date at The Whisper.”  
  
Judy blushed as she remembered the end of that night.  
  
“But I guess the bond started before even that,” Nick said as he dropped another potato into the pot.  
  
“When?”  
  
“Maybe halfway through my time at the academy. You came and visited me more than most of the guys’ wives did, Fluff.” Nick said as he started to peel another potato. “It kinda started to give a fox ideas, ‘ya know?”  
  
“Then why didn’t you say anything?”  
  
“Because… you’re a bunny and I'm a fox. I deluded myself into thinking I could be ok with just being your friend and partner, and then we had movie nights and dinner out. I spent more time with you than I did with Finnick when we did the popsicle hustle together, and, well, the vixen in the relationship leads so I didn't think you were interested.”  
  
Judy nodded. “Nick?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“You’re not the only one that was an idiot,” Judy admitted.  
  
Nick nodded as he peeled the potato in his paws. “We were both idiots.”  
  
Judy snorted softly. “I…can agree with that.”  
  
“I love you, Judy,” Nick said as he dropped the potato into the pot.  
  
“I love you too.”  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy checked the time on her phone for the fiftieth time since arriving at the train station. Time moved with agonizing slowness. Nervousness didn’t entirely cover what she felt. While her mom had met Nick months ago, that was under the assumption that Nick was just her friend and now partner on the police force. Now her mom was meeting the same mammal, but he was going to be her son-in-law in less than 24 hours.  
  
Judy’s foot thumped against tile floor as she anxiously awaited the arrival of the train.  
  
“Now arriving on Platform 3, the Tri-Burrow express,” came the announcement over the loudspeaker.  
  
Judy’s ears stood straight up as she moved over to Platform 3.  
  
“AUNT JUDY!” came the high pitched squeal of a young female rabbit as she ran at breakneck speed to Judy and wrapped her arms around Judy’s waist. The young rabbit had brown fur, a pink nose, and green eyes that looked similar to Nick's. She wore a purple long-sleeved sweater and a pair of hand-me-down blue jeans with a large pink backpack.  
  
Judy smiled down at her niece and hugged her tight. “Hey squirt, you’re getting big! Where’s Mom?”  
  
Cotton pointed back the way she came, and Judy followed the youngster’s finger toward her mother making her way toward them through the thin crowd.  
  
“Cotton, I told you no running off…” Bonnie said she walked up.  
  
“Hey Mom, I'm glad you could make it,” Judy greeted her mom.  
  
“Ahh, Jude I wouldn't have missed this for anything. Where’s Nick?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“He's at home putting finishing touches on dinner. He did ask that we stop at the corner store on our way to pick up some sour cream, though,” Judy answered.  
  
“Oh, what are we having for dinner?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Pierogies and fried onion with some shiitake mushrooms,” Judy answered, and glanced down at Cotton. “I hear there might even be a cake…”  
  
“Cake?” Cotton asked.  
  
“Mmmhmmm. Maybe not quite as good as Gideon’s, but Nick does make a good…” Judy paused and thought about it for a moment. “Well, he makes a good everything.”  
  
“Is he nice?” Cotton asked, her voice sounding a little nervous.  
  
Judy smiled. “He's the nicest fox in the city.”  
  
“Is your place far?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“No, but I have a Zuber waiting. He’ll take us to the corner store, and then we'll walk the rest of the way,” Judy answered as they walked out of the station.  
  
“Wow, you really moved up, Jude,” Bonnie said as they entered the apartment building 20 minutes later after a quick stop at the corner store.  
  
“Uh, thanks Mom…”  
  
“You know louse city?” Bonnie inquired, “I swear you had to be deloused at least twice a month from that place.”  
  
“Oh come on Mom, it wasn't that bad,” Judy said.  
  
“And the walls looked like they came out of a grease trap,” Nick spoke up from the kitchen.  
  
“And that bed... I swear, Jude, that bed should have been lit on fire instead of having a decent doe sleep in it,” Bonnie continued.  
  
Judy shot Nick a warning glance.  
  
“I know, Bonnie, why do you think I just had to save her from it?” Nick inquired.  
  
“Save me, did you?” Judy crossed her arms, looking between her mother and Nick.  
  
“Oh you know he did. Little Miss ‘I'm eating fine’, eating frozen microwave carrot dinners! I swear Jude, I know I raised you better than that.”  
  
Nick grinned as he finished plating their dinners. “I know, I know, Mrs. Hopps, I’ve told her more than once that was just garbage that pretended to be food. Was it even real carrot in them, or was it just some orange-colored wood pulp?”  
  
“Ok, so maybe shacking up with Scruffy here was one of my better decisions.”  
  
“Scruffy? You wound me Fluff, truly and deeply wound me,” Nick said as he brought out a pair of plates; he was dressed in a dark grey button up shirt and black slacks.  
  
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. He’s better dressed than you are Jude! And you’re calling him Scruffy?” Bonnie eyed the fox with a critical eye. “He might not be a Jack Sa…”  
  
Nick’s ears laid back and he fought hard to suppress a growl at the mention of Jack.  
  
“Ummm, Mom, can we not mention him please?” Judy walked over to Nick and helped him set the plates down on the table. “It's ok, Nick.”  
  
It took Nick a couple of minutes to recenter himself before he went back into the kitchen. “Would anyone like some sour cream? It goes really well with pierogies.”  
  
Bonnie nodded. “It smells delicious! Can I ask what it is?”  
  
“They’re little pockets of heaven Mom, dough wrapped around mashed potatoes mixed with a bit of cheese.” Judy sat down at the table, her ears erect with excitement. “And then Nick fries them with chopped onion and these mushrooms.”  
  
Nick walked back in with a smile on his face and sat a plate down in front of Bonnie and himself. “I’m sorry if I gave too much or too little; I only have Carrots’ appetite to judge rabbits by.”  
  
Nick sat down in a chair beside Judy and his tail wrapped around her ankles. Bonnie and Cotton waited and watched the glee on Judy's face as she started to eat her dinner.  
  
“This is very good Nick,” Bonnie said after the first bite.  
  
“Thanks, Mrs. Hopps. They’re pretty easy to make, and your daughter can eat them by the dozens,” Nick said smoothly.  
  
“NICK!” Judy shot a glare at him.  
  
“I insist, please call me Bonnie, or Mom. Oh, I’m sure she can; when she was training to get into the Academy on the farm, she would out eat most of our other kits,” she said with a smile.  
  
“Mooom…” Judy all but hissed.  
  
Nick smiled at Bonnie’s ability to rile up her daughter. The movement of the smaller bunny caught Nick’s eye, and he studied her for a moment.  
  
“Hello there,” Nick greeted.  
  
“Oh, I'm sorry, Nick!” Judy said. “This is my niece Cotton.”  
  
“Hello Cotton, I’m Nick.” Nick bent his head down and playfully whispered to the small bunny. “Do you like chocolate cake?”  
  
Cotton’s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically. “I do I do I do!”  
  
“Well, I made one for dessert.”  
  
“Oooo,” Cotton intoned.  
  
“But...” Nick glanced at Bonnie. “Your grandma has to say it’s ok, and I hear that they only let kits that eat their dinner have cake…” Nick gave Bonnie a wink.  
  
"Luckily ,Judy’s got such a turbo fast metabolism, or you'd have to roll her down the aisle!" Bonnie snipped back.  
  
“Mooom, you know all highly active rabbits burn calories like crazy!” Judy shot back, hoping Nick didn’t think she was strange.  
  
“That's true Jude, the amount of food your father and work crews go through is high,” Bonnie conceded. “But the amount of food you’re packing away would even put your father and the work crews to shame!”  
  
“So they get grumpy too if they don't have a mid-morning and afternoon snack?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy punched Nick in the arm.  
  
Nick rubbed his arm where she punched him. “Are all rabbits this violent or is it just her?”  
  
“Oh! She didn't tell you did she?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Tell me what?” Nick asked, eyeing Judy, whose eyes suddenly went panicky.  
  
“Well, bunnies box those they’re attracted to,” Bonnie answered as she finished her meal.  
  
“No…” Nick said as he looked at his bunny in a new light. “She must have left out that little detail.”  
  
“Oh? Yes, that's right, your courtship was mostly vulpine wasn't it?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Judy nodded and admitted quietly. “It was.”  
  
Bonnie looked thoughtful for a moment. “That might explain some things.”  
  
Nick’s ears perked up, and the tip of his tail thumped against Judy's ankles. “Like?”  
  
“Well, after the thing with Gideon…she did tell you about that, right?” Bonnie waited for Nick to nod before continuing. “She never seemed overly interested in bucks; Stu and I started to think she was gay. I mean, she wouldn’t be the first of our kits to like…”  
  
Judy’s ears turned bright red. “Mooom, please…” Judy pleaded.  
  
“Oh hush dear, you know there are hardly any secrets in the warren, and even if there are they don't stay secret very long. Anyway, we even tried to hook her up with dates with some does, but she didn't seem overly interested in them either.”  
  
“Really?” Nick asked, earning him another thump in the arm from Judy.  
  
“Yes, we thought she was having a fling with a sheep in high school. What was her name again? Sheerla? Carla? Oh, Jude, you know who I’m talking about, the Woolerton ewe,” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Sharla…” Judy supplied, looking down at her empty plate.  
  
“Right, right, Sharla; she was kind of cute for a sheep. Black wool, blue eyes, smart as a button,” Bonnie continued.  
  
“Nothing happened between me and Sharla, Mom” Judy deadpanned.  
  
“Oh, I know. Well, it wasn't until she left to come back to the city that I started to suspect something else. You see, she asked us to bring her stuff, and, well, I found these books…”  
  
Judy’s eyes and ears shot up. “Mom, Mom please…”  
  
“Very steamy romance novels.”  
  
“Cotton! Cotton, would you like some cake?” Judy said excitedly, and got up to get her and her niece some cake.  
  
“Really?” asked Nick.  
  
“Well, I thought, because of the nature of those novels, she was introducing us to her boyfriend when we came for your graduation and the Gazelle concert.”  
  
Nick nodded, his smirk going smug.  
  
“And then she brought home…that boy,” Bonnie said carefully.  
  
“We were both idiots,” Nick said.  
  
“Oh don't beat yourself up too much dear; Judy hasn't had much experience in the ways of the heart, and, well, I'm just happy she found someone that can be there for her.”  
  
Judy and Cotton came back with large slices of cake. Nick smiled at her and wrapped his tail back around her ankles. “Now, please tell me you're done embarrassing me to my soon-to-be husband, Mom.”  
  
“I’m sure I can contain myself for a few moments Jude. Besides, you still need to show me your dress.” Nick couldn't help but notice Bonnie’s sly smile.  
  
“Dress?” Judy asked.  
  
“Yes, your wedding dress.”  
  
“Uhhh, since we’re doing this so quickly I haven't got one,” Judy admitted.  
  
“Then what are you planning to get married in?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Ummm, my police blues?” Judy asked hopeful that that answer would deter her mother.  
  
“Oh Jude, the blues are fine for the male, but you should really have a dress.”  
  
“Why, Mom?”  
  
“Well, the dress is supposed to make you look radiant, like a gift to be unwrapped.”  
  
Judy dropped her fork and hid her face behind her paws. How in the world can she embarrass me anymore?  
  
“Lucky for you I brought mine. You’re a little slimmer than I was when I married your father, but I had a litter on the way. But it's nothing a few safety pins shouldn't fix right up.”  
  
Judy smiled at her mother. “Really?”  
  
“Now, we’ll need to go through your unmentionables and see if you have anything in white; otherwise we will need to go out first thing in the morning and get you some in white.”  
  
Judy sighed. That was how.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy looked at herself in the mirror as her mom walked around her, pinning the dress in places. The dress was a confection of white lace silk and pearls that hung off of her shoulders. It was a bit old fashioned maybe, but wasn't horribly out of date either.  
  
It’s tradition for does to use their mother’s dress, Judy thought to herself. And I do look good in it.  
  
“Thanks, for doing this for us Mom,” Judy said.  
  
“Oh, you’re welcome dear. Your father is going to kick himself for missing this, let me tell you,” Bonnie said as she pinned in the waist a bit more. “Just like that idiot of an ex of yours.”  
  
Judy just nodded as she watched her mom fret around the dress a bit more. “Is Nick the jealous type? I don’t think he has anything to worry about; I saw the way you kept looking at him all evening.”  
  
“No Mom, Nick is a lot of things, but I don't think he’s jealous.”  
  
“Well, that's good to hear. But my lord, what was with the teeth and claws and growling? Truth be told, it was kind of thrilling. I didn’t get the feeling he would hurt us; it was almost like when your Uncle Terry ate one of those Nighthowlers.” Bonnie paused for a moment. “But it was far more controlled; your uncle just wigged out, chased me down, and bit me!”  
  
Judy sighed and realized she had put this off long enough. “Mom, can you shut the door quietly, please? There’s something about the last few days that I need to tell you.”  
  
Nick’s ears perked up a bit at the soft click their bedroom door made as it closed. He looked down at Cotton and smiled. She had latched onto his tail much the same way Judy did. Fox tails are very personal things, but she's just a kit. Nick shook his head turning his attention back to the animated film playing on the large screen TV.  
  
“Mr. Nick?” Cotton asked.  
  
“Yeah, Cottonball.”  
  
“Do you eat chicken?” Cotton asked as the chicken on screen narrowly avoided getting fried in a volcano.  
  
“Sometimes,” Nick answered honestly.  
  
“Grandpa says you used to eat bunnies; have you ever eaten a bunny?” Cotton asked, looking up at him with big green eyes.  
  
“No, I have never eaten a bunny, and no fox I know of has ever eaten a bunny either.”  
  
“That's good. Do you love Aunt Judy? You must if you’re going to marry her.”  
  
“I love your aunt more than all the carrots on your grandma and grandpa's farm.”  
  
“Whoa…. Really?”  
  
“Mmmmhmmm.”  
  
“Can I tell you a secret Mr. Nick?”  
  
“Sure Cottonball.”  
  
“Promise not to tell?”  
  
“I promise.”  
  
Cotton leaned in close to him as he bent down, lowering an ear close to her.  
  
“Your cake is better than Grandma’s,” Cotton told him, whispering conspiratorially into his ear.  
  
Nick smiled and chuckled as he whispered back. “I’ll most definitely keep that secret for you, Cottonball .”  
  
The pair turned their attention back to the movie once again. Nick looked down at the little bunny, his ears laid back. In some ways, she reminded him of Judy, or maybe what Judy would have been like at her age.  
  
Halfway through the movie Cotton yawned and stretched just before she snuggled her face into Nick’s side. Nick looked down at her surprised but smiled and relaxed into the couch a bit more before picking up his phone off of the arm of the couch.  
  
He snapped a quick shot of the small bunny tucked into his side before turning his attention to the email account set up for the property management company. He chewed through the emails slowly, answering emails that Daisy had sent him regarding available properties and what he knew of the areas of the city they were in, both as a police officer and someone who lived on the streets. Something nagged at him about the little bunny’s scent though.  
  
“Awwww,” both Bonnie and Judy said in unison as they entered the living room.  
  
Nick's eyes snapped up from his phone to both of the does. “Shhh, you’ll wake her,” Nick whispered at them. He caught the soft, thoughtful look in Judy's eyes as she regarded him and Cotton.  
  
“Jude, can you please tuck Cotton into the bed? Her stuffie is in her backpack,” Bonnie said to her daughter.  
  
“Sure, Mom,” Judy said as she walked over and started to gently pry Nick’s tail from Cotton’s fingers.  
  
“She seems to take after you, Fluff,” Nick said softly.  
  
Judy gathered Cotton up into her arms and carried her to the spare bedroom.  
  
“Nick?”  
  
His ears twitched at the sound of his name, spoken so softly it was no louder than a breath. Nick’s eyes moved from Judy’s retreating figure to her mother’s approaching one.  
  
“Yes Bonnie?” he asked carefully as she stopped and stood in front of him.  
  
“I, ah…” Bonnie started, then shook her head and began again. “Judy, she… told me what happened with… with that animal. The lengths you went through to protect her…” Bonnie’s eyes started to tear up.  
  
“She’s all I have, Bonnie.” Nick’s ears fell back. “She’s my whole world.”  
  
Bonnie threw her arms around his neck in a bone-crushing mother’s embrace. “Thank you, thank you for being there for her; thank you for protecting her, thank you for saving her from… thank you, thank yo…” She bounced up on tiptoes to whisper the sob-steeped words right into his ear until they were choked out and she couldn’t say anything more.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick grumbled and attempted to wrap around the pillow more. Try as he might, it was a pale imitation of his missing bunny. He sighed, flopped onto his back, and stared up at the ceiling.  
  
“I know you two haven't had a traditional courtship, but this is one I insist on,” he heard Bonnie explain in his head. “The absence and longing will make the day more memorable to you.”  
  
Nick stared at the ceiling for a moment before sliding out of bed and putting on a pair of workout shorts and a shirt. Opening the bedroom door, he dropped to all fours.  
  
The faint light of the nightlights provided him with more than enough light to see clearly as he made his way down the hall. He paused outside of the spare bedroom door and grinned. Turning the knob slowly he silently opened the door and stuck his nose inside.  
  
The scent of Judy and the other two rabbits filled his scenes as he pushed his way into the room and padded silently over to the bed. He observed Bonnie, Cotton, and Judy as they slept. With Judy being on the right paw side of the bed, it made it easy for him to slink over and press his nose against the back of her head.  
  
The relaxing scent of her washed over him. He settled a bit, his head resting on his arms, and sat cross-legged on the floor.  
  
He knew he couldn’t stay too long; the position would be bad for his back. He relaxed more, his eyes dropped, and he slowly slipped off to sleep.  
  
Bonnie was a creature of habit. She and Stu had been early to rise since the earliest days of their marriage. Stu had started working on the farm right out of high school. When his surviving sibling married off and moved away from farm life, Stu’s father had left the farm to Stu. Stu grew the farm into one of the largest in the Tri-Burrow area.  
  
So when she woke before the sun came up, that had been no surprise to her. Being in bed with Cotton and Judy, both of whom she’d gone to bed with, didn't surprise her either. Neither did the five plush bunnies in the bed. What did surprise her was Nick, or at least Nick’s head.  
  
Bonnie looked over at the fox. His ears were up and somewhat alert, his cheek was pressed up against Judy’s stomach, and one of her arms was draped lazily over his snout.  
  
She knew she should be angry with the male. Fox or not, tradition was tradition, and he violated it. But Bonnie’s mind turned over what Judy told her the night before. She couldn’t muster it; every time she tried, her daughter’s words about what Jack had tried to do echoed in her head.  
  
Bonnie sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stretched. Her ears perked up at the soft sound of the door closing. A quick glance over at the bed proved what she had suspected. Nick had almost silently slipped out.  
  
Nick flicked on the coffee pot as he walked past it with the kettle in paw. The sound of it as it heated the water for his coffee occupied his ears as he filled the kettle full of water. Nick turned on the stove and set the kettle to boil. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the counter as he made a mental list of all the things he needed to get out to make pancakes that morning.  
  
His ears perked up as he heard soft paw prints. “Good morning Bonnie, I hope I didn’t disturb you.”  
  
“How did you…” Bonnie started.  
  
“Judy is like a clock, she'll be asleep for about another 30 minutes or so. Can I interest you in some of her morning blend tea?” Nick asked as he got down a pair of mugs, one fox-sized and one of Judy’s. “I would offer you coffee, but I know that amount of caffeine is bad for rabbits.”  
  
Nick took one of the tea bags out of the box and placed it in the mug as they waited on the kettle to boil.  
  
“I’m sorry Nick,” Bonnie said after a few moments.  
  
“You have nothing to apologize for Bonnie; I’m the one that invaded your privacy in the night.”  
  
“Can I ask why?”  
  
Nicks ears flattened. “I couldn’t relax. You know that little voice in your head that says don't do that, or wouldn’t it be cool if…?” He turned off the stove as the kettle started to whistle and poured hot water into the mug.  
  
“Yes?” Bonnie said as she took a seat on a stool at the breakfast bar.  
  
“Well, mine screams at me throughout the day. Hey, that wolf over there is looking at you funny, or what is that smell?” Nick paused as he placed the mug in front of her. “Is she safe? Is she warm enough? Did she get enough to eat?”  
  
Nick started to pull out ingredients he needed. “I can ignore it mostly during the day, but night time?” He shook his head.  
  
“Is there a reason…” Bonnie started.  
  
Nick nodded as he placed some butter in a measuring cup in the microwave and pressed a button to start it to melt. “Dr. Treeroot said that my more base instincts have been brought to the forefront, and with the first day of winter now less than three months away…”  
  
“What does winter have to do with this?” Bonnie asked as she watched him.  
  
“Winter…” Nick looked at her nervously. “Winter is vulpine mating season.”  
  
Nick stopped the microwave before it could start to beep and poured the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry. He then deftly cracked an egg into the bowl before throwing away the shell and started to mix his batter.  
  
“Oh.”  
  
“Bonnie, I love your daughter. She’s almost as essential to my being as air at this point. I apologize for invading your privacy but…”  
  
“I think I get the picture, Nick. There is no need to apologize. I'm sorry as well for trying to place a tradition into a courtship that has been anything but traditional.” Bonnie smiled. “Now, my daughter says you make your own whipped cream?”  
  
“Aunt Judy, Aunt Judy!” Cotton yelled, shaking Judy out of her slumber. “There are pancakes and whipped cream, and, and, and berries!” Cotton said excitedly before running back down the hall in a flurry of pitter-pattering feet to her stack of pancakes.  
  
Nick’s barking laugh could be heard from the kitchen.  
  
“You better come quick Jude, otherwise I might steal your fox!” her mom called.  
  
Judy slipped out of bed as the subdued early morning light started to fill the room. She stretched in her carrot print pajamas, a far cry different from what had become her usual sleepwear, and padded her way down the hall into the combined dining living room area.  
  
“I don't think he could make pancakes for all the 200 plus kits you still have at home,” Judy said as she watched Nick flip a pancake with a flip of his wrist.  
  
“Oh, no, this good of cooking is lost on the rest of them; I’d keep it all to myself,” Bonnie told her daughter.  
  
“And me!” Cotton interjected around a mouthful of pancake.  
  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Nick looked in the mirror as he finished tying his tie. His well-pressed blue shirt made the perfect background for the gold name plate on the right, and his well-polished badge on the left. The gold braided aiguillette, which he had earned upon his graduation from the academy, hung from his left shoulder. The black polished pleather and pouches of his utility belt gleamed as well.  
  
_Not so long ago, you were getting ready for a date_ , he thought to himself. _Never did get that second one star gazing._  
  
Nick chuckled at that.  
  
_Bunnies,_ he thought whimsically as he smiled into the mirror.  
He popped the snap on the pouch Judy had gotten him for his sunglasses and flicked them open before settling them onto his snout and shot his reflection with finger guns.  
  
“Time to go get hitched,” he said out loud, even though Judy, Bonnie, and Cotton had left for the Precinct One building some time ago. Bonnie said they had a few stops to make and that they would meet him there.  
  
The closing of the apartment door felt, in some ways, like the closing of a chapter in his life. The end of which had been some of the best days of his life. The vibration of his phone in his pocket alerted him that it was time to get a move on, as his ride had arrived.  
  
Nick smiled as he exited the building. The white limo, a wedding gift from the Bigs, that awaited him was the same limo that had taken them to The Whisper. The driver opened the door for him as he approached and slid inside.  
  
Nick watched as the city passed by; he had lived here his entire life, and come tomorrow he would leave it for the first time. Bonnie and Cotton would head back to Bunnyburrow tonight, leaving Nick and Judy alone for their first night as a married couple.  
  
Judith Laverne Wilde, he thought to himself as he smiled, and images of her flashed through his mind. _My wife._ His heart beat just a little faster in his chest.  
  
The limo pulled to a stop at the bottom of the stairs to the building in a specially marked spot .  
  
“Nick!” came the high pitched call.  
  
He turned toward the sound of his name to see a female basset hound with brown fur that covered her head and white fur on her paws where they stuck out of her business suit.  
  
“Daisy, I’m so glad you were able to come,” Nick said smoothly.  
  
“Well, I could hardly believe it when Lorie told me you were getting married, and then we got your call. We wouldn't have missed this for anything. Lorie is already inside. I think she got sucked into your brides wedding party,” Daisy said.  
  
Nick smiled. “Shall we go inside?”  
  
Daisy looked at her phone. “No I’m supposed to keep you out here a moment or two longer.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
Daisy just nodded her head.  
  
Nick looked up at the building and smiled.  
  
“She would be proud of you, you know that right?”  
  
“Know what the last thing Mom said to me was?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“That I was an idiot for letting Judy slip through my fingers.”  
  
“That sounds like Viv.” Daisy smiled and looked up at the building as well. “I’m proud of you.”  
  
“Thank you Daisy,” Nick said as her phone vibrated.  
  
“I take it they’re ready for me?”  
  
“Yeah. Go stand in front of your boss.”  
  
Nick smirked. “Well, this will be like a day at work, just not getting yelled at,” he said as they walked up the stairs.  
  
Nick wasn’t sure what he expected before he walked into the Precinct One building. But this certainly wasn't it.  
  
The lobby had been quickly decorated for the event. A small seating area filled most of the space with seating being divided equally between both sides of a red carpet isle. The end seats of every row had a display of red roses and purple tulips attached to them. Nick had personally delivered enough flower arrangements to Mr. Big’s mansion to recognize Emmitt Otterton’s work.  
  
Nick walked up to where Chief Bogo was standing just at the end of the red carpet. The chief himself was also wearing his dress uniform.  
  
“Wilde,” Bogo greeted him. “You should probably lose the sunglasses.”  
  
“Oh right, right. Thanks, Chief!” Nick said as he slipped his sunglasses off and stowed them in the case on his belt.  
  
“Would hate to have your wife slug you at your own wedding.”  
  
“See Chief, you do care!”  
  
“CAN IT, WILDE!” Bogo bellowed.  
  
Nick's smug grin somehow turned smugger. “Question for you Chief, how are you going to tell me to can it when in just a few more minutes there’ll be two of us?”  
  
Chief Bogo glared down at his fox detective, but before he could say anything he was interrupted by an even smaller female basset hound.  
  
“Excuse me gentle-mammals, but she is ready,” Lorie said with a smile on her face.  
  
Bogo cleared his throat. “Ahem, if you would all please take your seats we will begin shortly.”  
  
Nick stood and fidgeted nervously.  
  
“You can still run, Wilde,” Bogo said teasingly.  
  
Nick looked up at his boss for a moment and shook his head. “No, no I can’t.”  
  
His attention turned back down the aisle. Music played, but he couldn’t reliably tell if someone had started a recording or if it was only in his head. He knew Bonnie escorted her down the aisle, but he couldn't have said a thing about how she was dressed. The smile that split Nick’s face wasn't smug but one of rare, genuine happiness. His eyes stayed glued solely on Judy.  
  
“Oh...my...goodness,” squealed Clawhauser at the sight of Judy in her wedding dress.  
  
Nick looked deep into Judy’s eyes as Bonnie handed him Judy’s paw.  
  
“I know you'll take good care of her,” Bonnie said softly.  
  
“Thank you all for coming,” Chief Bogo started.  
  
“It was either this or work, boss!” someone in the crowd called out.  
  
Bogo took a deep breath to bellow at Nick to can it, but realized for once the fox hadn’t opened his mouth. “Wolford, can it, or parking duty for a month!” the chief bellowed to a round of chuckles from the gathered officers.  
  
“In all of my years, I have never seen two mammals crazy enough to deserve each other more than Judy and Nick. Apart, they are both passable officers, but when they are placed together they are much more than the sum of their parts; if what I have seen is true for them in their personal lives as well as their professional lives, then they will have a long and happy marriage,” Bogo said, his voice taking on a rare softness as he spoke about the smallest two detectives.  
  
“Judith, I ask you now, in the presence of those gathered here today, is it your intention to marry Nicholas Piberius Wilde?”  
  
“Yes it is,” Judy said, looking up into Nick's eyes.  
  
“Nicholas, I ask you, in the presence of those gathered here today, is it your intention marry Judith Laverne Hopps?” Bogo asked.  
  
“Yes, yes it is” he said with a smile on his face.  
  
“I understand you have both written your own vows,” Bogo said softly.  
  
Judy took a deep breath before she started. “Serendipity brought you into my life to teach me something, and teach me you have.” She smiled up at him. “You have held a mirror to my faults, and have forgiven me for them. You have taught me that love truly is blind, and I am better for it. You have taught me that together we can overcome any obstacle and face any foe, and I am grateful to have you by my side. On this day, Nicholas, I join my life with yours in order to continue to love and grow with you. I will be your faithful companion in all seasons of this life and, if fate wills it, the next,” Judy finished, her eyes never leaving his.  
  
“Carrots, Fluff, Judith,” Nick started nervously. “You are the one mammal with whom I can be all that I am. I promise to trust you and to be honest with you.” Nick’s voice grew less nervous and surer as he continued.“I promise to listen to you, respect you, and support you. I promise to laugh and play and grow and bend with you. I promise to cherish every day we have together.” Nick smiled down into her eyes. “I promise to do all of this through whatever life brings us: riches or poverty, health or illness, through good times and bad until the end of my days, in this life and the next.”  
  
“Awwwww,” Clawhauser could be heard in the crowd as he started to sniffle.  
  
“Nicholas, present Judith with your ring and repeat after me,” Bogo instructed..  
  
Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out the other half of her ring.  
  
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Bogo said.  
  
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Nick repeated as he slid the ring onto Judy’s finger, the small magnets locking the two halves together with a nearly audible click.  
  
“Judith, present Nicholas with your ring and repeat after me,” Bogo instructed her.  
  
Judy opened her right paw to show Nick the wedding band held there.  
  
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Bogo said softly.  
  
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Judy repeated as she slid the ring onto Nick’s finger.  
  
“By the power vested in me by the city of Zootopia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Nicholas, you may kiss your bride.”  
  
Nick bent down and started to give Judy a chaste kiss on the lips, when her paws shot up and pulled him down, deepening the kiss.  
  
“Oh...my…” Clawhauser squealed just before the pair broke off the kiss.  
  
“Ladies and Gentle-mammals, it is my honor to present Mr. and Mrs. Wilde,” Bogo said as the two turned and smiled at the gathered crowd.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick smiled as he shook Chief Bogo’s hoof in congratulations.  
  
“Hey Chief, thanks for doing the ceremony and giving Judy the time off to help me through… things,” Nick said as he looked up at the large buffalo, and Judy tensed beside him.  
  
Bogo eyed Judy as he answered. “Yes, it was, wasn’t it.”  
  
“Ummmm, Chief, didn’t you… you know, suspend her like, three days ago? I remember processing the paperwork...” Clawhauser said.  
  
He looked between Nick and Judy, seeing how tense and nervous Judy had become. “Ohhhhh, ummm oops.”  
  
“I always knew… wait, what suspension? Why?” Nick asked, his voice rising a bit with the fur along the back of his neck.  
  
“Nick, it’s ok…” Judy started.  
  
“It’s ok? How can it be ok? You’re suspended, Fluff!” Nick paused and started to take deep breaths.  
  
“Ummm, Chief, can we use the conference room please?” Judy asked. Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed Nick’s tie and pulled him toward it.  
  
Nick huffed as he followed her to the conference room, to the hoots and hollers of the mammals that weren’t close enough to hear what the commotion was about.  
  
Judy pulled him into the conference room and shut the door behind her. “Nick, please, don't be mad…”  
  
Nick sighed as he turned and looked at her, his eyes sad. “I’m not really mad, just a little disappointed. Isn’t something like you getting suspended something I should know?”  
  
“It's just…” Judy sighed.  
  
“What happened? Why are you suspended? It’s not because of me, is it?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy looked away from him. “It's because I dragged you into the museum while we were supposed to be on rest and relaxation. I broke protocol, but worse I got you hurt because of it.  
  
“When?” Nick asked.  
  
“Bogo came to the hospital; you’d just fallen back asleep, and I was thankful that you could talk again…”  
  
“I think I remember you leaving.”  
  
Judy nodded. “Bogo asked for my report. He chewed me out, not that I didn’t deserve it…”  
  
Nick swallowed and walked over to her and wrapped her up in his arms, his fury spent just from seeing the look of despair on her features.  
  
‘He…he…he said I kept putting what I want ahead of you, and that a partnership…” Judy swallowed back her tears. “That a partnership is like a marriage, and you have to be able to trust me to watch your back…”  
  
“So why did you keep all this from me?”  
  
Judy rested her forehead against his chest and looked down at their feet. “I kept it from you because…I’m ashamed.”  
  
“Ashamed of what Judy?” Nick swallowed. “Me?”  
  
“No, not you, never you. I’m ashamed because he was right…” Judy sighed and lifted her head. “I haven’t been a very good partner.”  
  
“You’re a fantastic mammal Fluff! You’re smart and quick thinking. But there are things both of us could do better,” Nick said softly.  
  
“Like not running head first into danger?” Judy asked.  
  
“That, and holding each other accountable when we do.”  
  
“I will try to be a better partner.” Judy paused and looked up at him. “And wife.”  
  
“So how long are you suspended for?” Nick asked softly.  
  
“Indefinitely, or until you return to duty,” Judy answered.  
  
Nick was quiet for many moments before he said anything. “Well, there is a silver lining in this.”  
  
“Oh? And just what is that?” Judy asked.  
  
“I get my beautiful new bride all to myself for a while, and we don't have to rush back here.” Nick took a deep breath. “I think I would like some time away from the city for a while.”  
  
Judy smiled and pulled his muzzle down so she could look into his eyes. “We can do that, but I think you're forgetting about meeting my family over the next few days...”  
  
“Right... “Nick swallowed nervously.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“You’re sure this isn't an inconvenience?” Bonnie asked for the fourth time since getting into the limo. “Cotton and I could…”  
  
“Hush Bonnie, you’re family, our den is your den. Besides, Judy and I have reservations at The Palm for tonight.” Nick answered.  
  
“We do?” Judy asked, still looking radiant in her wedding dress.  
  
“Oh, we do.” Nick gave her a sly wink. “We will be back at our apartment late tomorrow morning, and then we can all ride the train to Bunnyburrow together.”  
  
“How long do you two think you'll be in Bunnyburrow for?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Nick shrugged. “It's not like we have to be back in the city quickly.”  
  
“Dr. Treeroot wanted to follow up with you in a few weeks,” Judy interjected.  
  
“Right, right, and somebunny promised me a tropical vacation,” Nick smiled.  
  
“Oh… You would really want to do that?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick grinned, “It does have fringe benefits.”  
  
“Gramma, what are fringe benefits? Cotton asked.  
  
“Oh, it's like getting a slightly bigger piece of cake because you helped. The main benefit was that you helped and the work got done, but the other one is you get more cake,” Bonnie tried to explain.  
  
“So Aunt Judy promised Mr. Nick cake?”  
  
Nick started to chuckle. Judy shot him a glare.  
  
“Not a word Slick.” Judy warned.  
  
Nick swallowed and nodded. “Wouldn't dream of it, Fluff…”  
  
“No, dear, I think in this case your Aunt has promised him pie,” Bonnie said.  
  
“I want pie!” Cotton said excitedly.  
  
“We’ll see if we can pick up a small one from the grocery store.” Bonnie said.  
  
Judy looked away, the inside of her ears turning bright red. “Mom!”  
  
“What?” Bonnie asked. “We are talking about pie.”  
  
Nick grinned but held is tongue while Judy glared at her mother.  
  
Judy’s glare slowly softened as she felt Nick’s eyes on her. Her paws fidgeted slightly in her lap before she looked over at him. Desire was clearly written across his features. The smile that stretched across his snout was reflected in the warmth of his eyes.  
  
“Bonnie, if you’re going to go for pie, I recommend this little bakery up the street; they sell by the slice,” Nick said after a few minutes. “It's called A Taste of Home, and it’s right next door to the Snarlbucks.”  
  
Bonnie smiled at him. “Thank you, Nick.”  
  
A few tense moments later, the car pulled over and Nick got out to hold the door open for Bonnie and Cotton.  
  
“Here are the keys to the apartment, Bonnie,” Nick said as he handed her the keys.  
  
“Thank you, Nick. Have fun this evening.” Bonnie replied.  
  
“Oh, I’m sure we will,” Nick said as he started to get back into the car.  
  
“Bye Aunt Judy and Mr. Nick, enjoy your pie!” Cotton called out to them.  
  
Nick let out a barking laugh as he closed the limo door. He winced as her small fist smashed into his shoulder.  
  
“So, no pie?” he asked as he rubbed his shoulder.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Palm Hotel sat in the center of Sahara square. At just over 1000 feet tall, it was easily the largest single structure in the entire district. It boasted rooms for all sizes of mammals and was one of the crown jewels of the city. A testament to what could be achieved by working together. The ground floor was taken up by a large casino. The upper floors sometimes played host to heads of state, movie stars, and it was even said that Gazelle had an apartment on those floors.  
  
Judy’s breath was taken away as the elevator doors opened to the room. A giant white slab of marble ran unbroken from the elevator to the large floor to ceiling glass windows. The last train in from Bunnyburrow could just be seen crossing the bridge into the city and, beyond that, deep blue water and a glorious sunset.  
  
The room oozed opulence and excess. Furniture made from the highest quality materials and fabrics, tables with glass tops and gold plated metal work. The left paw side of the room was dominated by an in room hot tub. The right paw side a huge bed, and between the two was a TV in a sitting area in which she could have fit her entire apartment.  
  
“Nick…” Judy said in awe. She had been a little taken aback when a door mammal just handed him their key and pointed them to the elevators. They didn’t even need to check in; they had been expected.  
  
Nick's eyes never left her. Even with all the finery in the room she is still the most beautiful thing in it. He untied his tie, letting it hang loosely around his neck, and undid the top button of his shirt. Nick crossed the room almost silently, his claws making soft clicks against the marble floor, the leathery pads of his feet allowing him plenty of traction. He placed his paws on her shoulders as she looked out over the water.  
  
He looked down over her and could just make out the seam for the lapped zipper of the dress. The claw on the thumb of his right paw extended and he hooked the tip of it in the small metal loop of the zipper and slowly started to tug it down.  
  
“Horny fox,” she said quietly, but made no move or effort to stop him.  
  
“Your horny fox, though,” he answered as his thumb reached the limit of its motion.  
  
“Yes, yes you are.” She closed her eyes as she felt his paw tug the zipper the rest of the way down.  
  
Nick spread the back of the dress open slightly, admiring the soft fur and toned muscles of her back. His thumbs dipped inside of the dress and slowly moved up her back to her shoulder blades.  
  
Judy relaxed as his thumbs worked the tense muscles of her back and shoulders. She could feel the top of the dress slipping down her arms.  
  
“I love you,” Nick said softly.  
  
“I love you, too.”  
  
Nick slid the dress down her arms slowly before letting it fall to the floor.  
  
Judy looked back over her shoulder at him as he drank in her form.  
  
Nick smiled, noticing that she’d chosen not to wear a bra. The white of her thong contrasted nicely with the grey of her fur.  
  
“Like what you see, Slick? Judy asked teasingly.  
  
“Like? Like is too simple of a word. Adore maybe, love most definitely, desire…yes let's go with desire.” Nick paused for a second. “Or even better, let's go with mine.”  
  
“Yours?” Judy asked as she stepped out of her dress and pushed it aside with her foot.  
  
“Yes, mine,” Nick said as Judy reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt.  
“Well Slick, what does that make you?” she asked as her paws paused for just a moment before unbuckling his service belt and letting it fall to the floor, and then unbuckling the belt of his pants.  
  
“Yours, but we already covered that,” he answered as Judy's paws paused, frozen, as he tilted her head up and kissed her lips softly. The kiss quickly deepened as their tongues danced.  
  
Nick's paws slid down her back and cupped the bare cheeks of her ass as he both lifted her and drew her tight against his chest. Her arms wrapped around his neck, his shirt and pants momentarily forgotten. Breaking the kiss, he softly trailed kisses down her neck. His fangs raked through her fur, lightly brushing them against the skin underneath.  
  
Judy moaned; her thighs tightened against him, and her head rolled to the side to give him more access. Nick growled lightly in his chest, and the points of contact with his sharp teeth caused the growl to rumble through her head; her paws gripped the fur of his back.  
  
Nick's paws flexed, squeezing the cheeks of her ass as his tongue pressed against the throbbing artery in her neck. The smell of horny bunny permeated the air around them as his mouth opened and pressed gently around the junction of her neck and shoulder, growling again.  
  
Once more, the feeling of the growl vibrated through Judy’s body; her tail twitched, and her ankles crossed behind his back as she attempted to pull him closer. Her instincts fought each other, bouncing from mate to run rapidly. She pulled Nick's head back up and kissed him passionately, her paws gripped the fur behind his ears tightly.  
  
Judy moaned into his mouth as she felt her back press against the thick plate glass window. The glass was surprisingly cold against her back as she felt the fingers of his right paw shift and brush against her crotch.  
  
Judy tried to grind her crotch down onto his probing fingers. She tried to let gravity do the work, but with Nick holding her up with both paws she just couldn't get him to apply more pressure. Judy finally whimpered in frustration into his mouth.  
  
Nick pulled back, breaking the kiss; a thin strand of saliva connecting their muzzles. He watched her face as he pushed the crotch of her thong aside and slid a finger tip over her slit.  
  
“Oh!” Judy exclaimed, feeling him touch her freely. Her head leaned forward to rest under his muzzle as his finger kept sliding slowly, parting her folds.  
  
“Mmmmm, wet bunny,” Nick said as he pressed his finger into her. He smiled, feeling her thighs tremble against his sides.  
  
“Nick…” Judy said as she trembled in his arms; her breath caught in her throat as his finger pad slip slipped up and pressed against her clit. Her paws gripped the fur at the back of his neck as her hips wiggled against his paws in an attempt to get more stimulation. Judy buried her face against Nick's neck as his finger deftly moved over her clit.  
  
“Cum for me…” Nick whispered against the base of her ear. The response from Judy was immediate. Her entire body tensed against him as her left foot vibrated, thumping him in the back as she moaned her release into his chest. His body trapped her against the thick glass window.  
  
Judy’s breathing was ragged; she could still feel his finger pad pressed against her clit. She clung to him as he pulled her away from the window and carried her over to the bed.  
  
Nick looked down into Judy’s eyes as he gently laid her down onto the bed. His eyes slowly left hers and traveled down her body with agonizing slowness as he finished unbuttoning his shirt. It thumped to the floor, weighed down by the brass badge and nameplate attached to it, as she stretched her paws over her head and arched her back enticingly.  
  
Nick licked his lips slowly as he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, letting them drop to the floor, and kicked them off of his feet. Judy swallowed somewhat nervously the predatory glint in his eyes making her nervous. Her eyes trailed down his body until they reached his boxers. She smiled as he dropped those as well; she could just see the tip of his foxhood peaking out at her from his sheath.  
  
Judy watched him as he climbed up onto the bed, not on his paws and knees but on all fours, the muscles of his chest arms and legs rippling under his fur. She started to back up a bit, but his paw on her ankle stopped her. Nick licked his lips again, his long vulpine tongue ran from one side of his muzzle to the other.  
  
Judy’s heart thundered in her chest, and her excitement rose with each step he took up her body. Their eyes locked together in a contest of wills, one that she was willing to concede in as he paused, his nose pressed against her crotch, inhaling her scent. She spread her thighs to accommodate his head. Her eyes widened as he opened his mouth, his upper fangs catching the waistband of her thong as he lowers started to close on the crotch.  
  
The sound of her lusty moan as his fangs raked through the fur of her pubic mound was music to Nick's ears. As his jaws closed, he gave a little tug to make sure he didn’t pinch or grab anything with his teeth other than the fabric of her thong.  
  
Judy squeaked in surprise as his low growl vibrated through her body just before her hips were lifted by her thong. The sound of rending fabric filled her ears as Nick shook his head and tore the thong from her body. Judy’s heart thundered in her chest as he flung the ruined thong aside like a kit throwing aside wrapping paper.  
  
Nick took a hold of her thighs and gently spread them, pushing her knees back toward her chest. Dipping his nose down, he took his first unfiltered breath of extremely horny bunny. His eyes remained on her as his tongue flicked out and ran gently along her delicate folds, ending with a flick of the tip of his tongue against her clit.  
  
Judy's eyes finally closed, unable to stay open with the onslaught of the pleasure he was giving her. Her stomach tensed with the approaching tidal wave of her orgasm. She could feel his tongue start to press into her before traveling up her folds and lash against her clit.  
  
Nick growled as he pushed his tongue into her body. His tongue twisted and turned its way into her before being pulled out to lash against her clit.  
  
Judy’s orgasm crashed through her. Her paws gripped the bedding underneath her as she tried to shove her pussy up into his mouth. Every growl felt like it was directly onto her clit. Nick growled again as her slick inner walls tried to clamp down on his invading tongue.  
  
Judy shuddered and whimpered as he slowly pulled his muzzle away from her. “Nick…” she started to whimper, but was cut off by his lips on hers. Her eyes shot open when his tongue suddenly invaded her mouth. She could taste herself on his tongue.  
  
Nick broke the kiss and stared down at her as her eyes slowly opened. Her paws reached up and pulled him back down into another kiss. Her legs wrapped around his waist pulling his hips toward her. He growled into her mouth as he broke the kiss once more. Judy looked down between them and used her leverage on his hips to lift her own.  
  
Judy reached down and gently took his foxhood in her paw. She nudged the tip of it into her and gasped as he thrust almost the entire length into her at once. Judy’s back arched up off of the bed and she pulled hard with her legs, trying to get him fully inside of her. She whimpered when he pulled almost all the way out, then gasped again when he pushed his cock to the knot inside of her. She looked down between them to see his knot pressed against the lips of her pussy just before he thrust into her again.  
  
Nick groaned, feeling her massage his entire length as he drove into her. Her whimpers and moans grew louder with each thrust into her. He pressed his nose against her shoulder and neck, his breath washing over her hot and ragged.  
  
Judy moaned, her calves flexing with each thrust into her. Her paw came up and pressed down on his head as her fingers flexed in his fur. His mouth opened and his teeth raked through the fur down to the skin of her right shoulder. She felt his thrusts into her become shorter, more urgent, his knot demanding entry. One of his paws slid up behind her back, his finger hooked on either side of her neck, pulling her into each of the thrusts.  
  
Judy’s mind went blank as she felt the twin sensations of Nick’s knot pushing into her body and his mouth clamping down on her shoulder. “Oh….. swee…” Her paws grabbed his fur as her body convulsed around his knot. Her legs pulled at his hips, trying to force him in deeper.  
  
Nick groaned into her shoulder, the squeezing of her body causing him to give short sharp thrusts into her. Each time her body squeezed, he came just a little more inside of her. He slowly unclamped his jaw from around her shoulder and braced her against his chest as he rolled over onto the his back.  
  
Judy felt his arms held her tight, as if she was going to run away. She nuzzled her face into his chest as she watched the last rays of sun slowly sink below the horizon.  
  
“I love you,” she said breathlessly.  
  
“I love you, too,” came the sleepy reply.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Nick laid on his back, looking up at the ceiling. The comforting weight of his wife snuggled against his chest. The smell of the room service they had ordered and their love making mixed in the air. He almost felt sorry for the service mammal that was going to have to clean the mess they made of the bed. Almost.  
  
_In the span of 18 months, my life has changed,_ Nick thought to himself.  
  
_Cost me a friend though…_ Nick laminated.  
  
_“I don't want nuttin’ to do with da fuzz!”_ Fin had shouted at him when Nick told him of joining the ZPD.  
  
Nick looked down at his slumbering wife. Judy's paws were latched almost equally on the fur of his chest and his tail. His winter coat was slowly starting to come in, making him a little extra fluffy. He ran a paw down her ears causing her to murmur slightly and snuggle into his chest.  
  
_Worth the trade._  
  
Nick's breathing evened out slowly and his eyes closed for just a moment before opening again. His eyes closed a second time, and he slowly passed out.  
  
Nick’s eyes opened, the comforting feel of his bunny no longer on his chest. The bed was cold and her scent faded as if she hadn’t been there for some time. He rolled to the side of the bed and looked around the room. The light filtering in through the large floor to ceiling windows was cast with an eerily red hue.  
  
Nick looked around the room as he sat up on the edge of the bed. His eyes fell onto her wedding dress, where it was discarded in front of the windows. His nose picked up her scent and he smiled. Maybe she went to get food? he thought to himself as he made his way through the room, following the faint scent of his mate.  
  
Nick looked confused as the elevator doors opened onto a flight of stairs. He could hear the sound of Judy’s voice calling him from the stairwell. The sweet smell of her scent drifted up to fill his nose. The opulence of the stairs, marble and gold, twisted its way below him.  
  
Nick quickly started down the stairs, wishing to be with his bride, his foot pads smacking against the marble stone work of the stairs. He started to slow as marble and gold gave way to worn wood and the paw rail ended in a ragged break. He slowly walked down the stairs making them creek as he shifted his weight to each new step. Each new step took him deeper into the darkness below him. The macabre stench of rotting flesh and fresh blood overwhelmed the scent of his mate. The dripping sound of falling water echoed in the dark.  
  
“Ahh, Slick.” A voice that sounded suspiciously like his own made a clicking sound with k in slick. “So nice of you to join us.”  
  
Nick paused at the bottom of the stairs, dread filling him. He didn’t want to make the turn to the right; he knew what lay that way. His heart thundered in his chest. As if drawn by magnetic force, he slowly made the turn.  
  
Bonnie hung by her feet in front of him. Her eyes glaring at him accusingly, as if it was his fault that she’d ended up here. Her throat had been slit, allowing her blood to drip down into a bucket below her.  
  
“JUDY!” Nick yelled, panic seeping into his voice. Tears welled up in his eyes, his heart pounded in his chest.  
  
Nick ran down row after row of dead rabbits, all hanging by their feet. Some he recognized as ones he’d thought he had saved, others from pictures of Judy’s family she had shown him on her phone. Dread filled his heart. Did they die because of me? He turned in a slow circle as a deranged laugh sounded in the dark. Nick turned back around, only to find a clearing in the sea of dead rabbits.  
  
Two chairs sat facing each other. In one sat a fox that looked oddly like himself, dressed in a black three piece suit. His fingers steepled in front of his face, with his eyes closed and a maniacal grin on his muzzle.  
  
“Ahhh there you are, Slick,” the fox in black said as his eyes opened to regard Nick. The fox’s eye where blood red with inky black vertically slit pupils. “So kind of you to finally join us.”  
  
Nick eyed the fox in black. “Where is Judy?”  
  
“Oh don't worry, she’s safe…” The Fox in Black’s grin only grew larger. “For now. Sit.”  
  
Nick found himself thumping rather hard into the chair across from the Fox in Black.  
  
“Can I interest you in some refreshments?” the Fox in Black asked as a black furred bunny kit walked up to him. Nick watched in horror as the Fox in Black twisted the bunny kit’s head off to the sound of a carbonated beverage being opened. “They are so much better fresh.”


	4. Episode 4: Down the Rabbit Hole

# Episode 4: Down the Rabbit Hole

  
  
“Hello darkness, my old friend  
I've come to talk with you again  
Because a vision softly creeping  
Left its seeds while I was sleeping  
And the vision that was planted in my brain  
Still remains  
Within the sound of silence.”  
The Sound of Silence ~ Disturbed  
  
  
Nick watched in horror as the Fox in Black tilted the bunny kits body up and took a sip as if the kit was nothing more than a beer bottle. He could see the Fox in Black’s muzzle stained slightly red.  
  
“Who are you?” Nick asked with some trepidation. “And where is Judy? Where is my wife!?”  
  
The Fox in Black smiled at him, his fangs stained a deep dark red. “Your wife, yes…mmmm, such a tasty bunny.”  
  
Nick struggled to get out of the chair as shadows slowly wrapped around his arms and legs. “YOU BETTER HAVE NOT HURT HER!” Nick all but screamed.  
  
Nick heard soft footfalls and the faint rustle of silk coming from behind him.  
  
“Or you’ll what?” The Fox in Black’s focus turned from Nick to something behind him. “Kill me? Heh, you’re pathetic. You couldn’t save her yourself the first time. What makes you think you can stop me?”  
  
Nick watched as Judy walked past him in her wedding dress to drape herself into the Fox in Black's lap.  
  
“See, even she knows,” the Fox in Black said as he reached up and slowly started to pull the zipper down. “If you were strong enough, I wouldn't be here.”  
  
“Nick,” He heard Judy's voice say faintly as she kissed the Fox in Black's neck.  
  
Nick struggled against his bonds, his arms pulling against the shadows.  
  
The Fox in Black looked at him and laughed. “Look at you struggle boy, your own doubts weigh you down.”  
  
Nick snarled as the Fox in Black finished lowering the zipper and started to reach inside.  
  
“Nick! WAKE UP!” he heard Judy shout at him.  
  
Nick sprung upright, his claws at full extension, his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl. His mind was still partially in his dream, ready to end the Fox in Black, when his eyes finally focused on the twin amethyst orbs of his wife.  
  
“Nick?” Judy’s nose twitched as she watched his features soften in the dim light. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her in tight to his chest. She could hear his heartbeat slow as he held her.  
  
“Did I…” Nick started to ask quietly.  
  
“No,” Judy answered before he could fully get the question out; she could feel his nose press into the side of her neck as he relaxed. She could feel him breathing deep of her scent.  
  
“You're going to be ok,” she said quietly into his chest. “Same dream?”  
  
Nick shook his head. “Yes and no; honestly I’m not sure.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick watched as the train glided out of the city and across the bridge, heading into the tree-covered hills that surrounded Zootopia. He had never seen so many trees, having grown up and stayed in the city all of his life. He looked down as he felt Judy snuggle in tighter against him, and enjoyed the content smile on her face.  
  
The morning had passed in a blur of activity. They had taken a shower together and had an excellent relaxing breakfast. He had thoroughly enjoyed his waffles and chicken, as it was probably the last real meat he would get for a little while. The last thing he wanted to do was make his already nervous in-laws more nervous.  
  
The tip of his tail flicked from where it rested in Judy’s lap. That one small movement was betraying the anxiety that he felt. Yes, meeting my fox-hating father-in-law today, Nick thought to himself. Nick looked to the seats across from him to see Bonnie reading a book and Cotton coloring on the seat beside her. Wonder how many other members of her family will dislike me just because I’m a fox?  
  
Nick tried not to give it any more thought as he turned his attention to the scenery outside the train. The forest-covered hills quickly gave way to the flat fertile plains. In some ways it reminded him of the Meadowlands District, but more massive and far more open.  
  
“Next stop Bunnyburrow,” came the announcement.  
  
Judy stretched as she woke up, and Nick couldn’t help but admire her lithe and fit form.  
  
“Ready to meet the family, Nick?” Judy asked, sounding far more cheerful than any mammal in their right mind should sound after just waking up.  
  
“As ready as I'll get, Fluff,” Nick said as his face slipped into his typical “nothing can get to me” mask. Regardless, the tip of his tail flicked nervously in her lap.  
  
Judy looked down at his tail. “Don’t worry, Nick. I'll protect you from all the big bad bunnies.”  
  
“You’re family now, Nick. Don't you worry a thing about what my foolish husband does; anything stupid, and he’ll wish he got to sleep on the couch,” Bonnie said as she stood and gathered her things.  
  
Nick just nodded, flicked out his aviators, and sat them on his snout as he followed the bunnies out of the train, carrying his and Judy’s bag.  
  
Nick looked around as he exited the train onto the platform. Very few mammals got off of the train with them, and most of them that did were rabbits. His ears fell back, and a smirk started to form on his face as he looked at the edifice of the train station. The windows all had rabbit ears above them, and the building sported painted-on eyes with buck teeth.  
  
“What's so amusing, Slick?” Judy asked.  
  
“You know, for a species that doesn't like to be called…” Nick paused as he looked at the rabbits on the platform. “Ummm, that c-word, you certainly do nothing to downplay it.”  
  
“Aww, is the big bad predator afraid to call the bunny train station cute?” Judy asked teasingly.  
  
Nick grinned. “No, but I really don't feel like being ran out of town by an adorable mob with pitchforks and torches.”  
  
Judy grinned. “Relax, Slick, we don't use pitchforks and torches any more…”  
  
“Oh, well, that's good…”  
  
“Nope, these days we use shotguns and pickup trucks.”  
  
Nick’s ears fell back, and he let out a low whine. “That's not very comforting, Fluff.”  
  
Judy noticed Bonnie thumping her foot rapidly on the platform in irritation as the rest of the rabbits cleared off. Judy looked around, and her ears fell down her back. “Mom where's the welcoming committee?”  
  
“I don’t know Jude. I told your father……” Nick looked surprised as Bonnie let out a very unrabbitlike growl. “Ohhhh, when I get my paws on your father…”  
  
Bonnie started to dig around in her bag for her cell phone. Nick looked around; the platform was now empty other than the four of them.  
  
“I don’t suppose we can call a Zuber?” Nick asked.  
  
“No Nick, Zuber doesn’t operate out here,” Judy supplied.  
  
The tip of Nick’s tail swished nervously. Not a good start, he thought to himself.  
  
“JENNY!” Bonnie yelled into her phone, her voice taking a tone that only an angry mother would have. “Where is your father?” Bonnie listened for a moment “Of course he's in the north fields harvesting potatoes! Did he say anything about having someone pick us up this afternoon?” Nick stepped behind Judy. “HE SAID WHAT!?” Judy looked up at Nick nervously as he wrapped his tail around her. “Jenny dear, I want you to get in one of the new trucks and come down to the station and pick us up.”  
  
Bonnie dropped her phone back into her purse letting out a long, drawn out huff. “Our ride will be here in about twenty minutes.”  
  
“We can wait on the benches out front,” Judy supplied as she took Nick's paws. “Mom, what did Dad say?”  
  
Bonnie sighed as they walked to the front of the small building. “Nothing worth repeating.”  
  
Nick wasn't sure what to expect as they stepped to the front of the building. The town’s main strip didn't really bustle. Foot traffic, while present, was extremely light. Rabbits, sheep, and a few other mammals went about their errands. The smell of the town, while not exactly clean, wasn't overly dirty either. He could see where buildings had been torn down and rebuilt. The newer construction contrasted with the older, more worn buildings. Vehicles, the majority of which were pickup trucks, made up most of the traffic. Nick figured that made sense, since Bunnyburrow was a farming community.  
  
Nick looked down at Judy as she sat on the bench with her mom and niece. His ears rotated this way and that, and he became aware of a slow uptick in traffic. He watched a few of the passing cars and trucks, making a note of the rabbits gawking at them without seeming to gawk, and failing spectacularly at it.  
  
Nick watched a dark grey, maybe 10-year-old Ford Exploder with a tan and white bunny at the wheel pull up to the curb . New obviously means different things to different mammals, Nick thought to himself, and honestly, the truck had seen better days. While it sounded like it was well maintained, the bodywork was a collection of mismatched body panels and rust.  
  
The tan and white bunny virtually bounced out of the driver's seat and ran over and hugged her mother. Nick could make out a barely spoken sorry.  
  
Nick watched the bunny that he could only assume was Jenny. She was dressed in a faded pair of coveralls stained here and there with dirt and grass stains and a faded green long-sleeved flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up.  
  
“So, you must be Mick,” the bunny said.  
  
“Jenny, this is my husband, Nick,” Judy introduced him.  
  
“Husband? So you really did marry a fox? Wow, no wonder Dad has been so steamed these last few days,” Jenny said as Nick’s tail tip flicked nervously.  
  
“We should be going; I need to have a word with Stu,” Bonnie said as she walked to the truck.  
  
“Mom, can I talk to you for a moment?” Jenny asked as they walked toward the truck.  
  
“Can you tell me in the truck?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Nick picked up his and Judy’s bag, as well as Bonnie's, as he followed Judy and Cotton to the truck. I don’t like how this trip has started, he thought to himself.  
  
“Thank you, Nick!” Bonnie called.  
  
Nick opened the back of the large SUV and placed both bags inside.  
  
“HE DID WHAT!?!” Bonnie screamed. Nick's ears flattened against his skull as he shut the back of the SUV and moved around to the rear passenger side door. Rabbit footfalls never sounded so ominous to Nick, and he swallowed nervously as he got into the truck and closed the door.  
  
Nick’s nose hung out of the passenger side window as the truck barreled down the highway. He couldn't hear much with the sound of the rushing air whistling through his ears. But the smells, oh the smells, it was like he could smell all the things at once. After leaving the small town, the air smelled amazingly clean, with hints and undertones of the plants that grew in the countryside and the compounds used in growing them. Even the dust from when the truck turned off the main highway down what only Nick could describe as a dirt trail smelled unique.  
  
His ears perked up as the truck started to slow. Nick glanced over at Judy, her ears were pinned back as well, and her nose was twitching, which did nothing to dispel the unease that had steadily grown in Nick's stomach since getting off of the train this afternoon.  
  
Nick looked out into the field; a broad swath of it was bare from where the rabbits were working it, pulling up the plants and cutting the potatoes loose into large canvas bags before tossing the plant itself into another container. He watched the rabbits in the field go about their work as Bonnie got out of the truck and started stomping her way across the field. He studied the work, pull, shake, cut, and toss. It didn't seem hard and the rabbits in the area, while maybe not thoroughly enjoying their work, didn't seem unhappy either.  
  
“STUART JACOBSON HOPPS!” Bonnie screamed as she marched up to a rabbit in overalls and a green hat. Nick studied Stu for a moment from a distance; it looked like the Hopps’ Patriarch had put on a little weight from what Nick remembered. His ears trained on the pair from a distance, Nick couldn’t make out much, maybe every other word. Something about food and destroying a bed? Nick thought to himself as the two rabbits in the distance got more animated and work stopped in the field.  
  
“Look, she's on her way back,” Jenny said pulling Nick's attention back toward Bonnie instead of the field.  
  
Bonnie stopped halfway back to the truck turned and yelled, “AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING TO BED TONIGHT!” before stomping the rest of the way to the truck and climbing in and slamming the door. “Ugggh, the nerve of that male!”  
  
“What's going on, Mom?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick glanced at the rearview mirror and caught the look on Jenny's face.  
  
“Oh, it's just,ummm, we had a malfunction of one of the freezers, and the food we had purchased for Nick had gone bad…” Bonnie started to explain. “And the kids had somehow destroyed the new mattress and box spring we got for the honeymoon suite. Do you think you and Nick would be ok in your old room for the night?”  
  
“It should be ok for a night…” Judy said skeptically.  
  
“Bonnie, I don’t want to be an inconvenience…” Nick started.  
  
“Nonsense, Nick, you’re family; it's no inconvenience…”  
  
“Mom, none of this seems like it was worth a shouting match out in the middle of a field…”  
  
“Your father invited Pop Pop to dinner tonight,” Bonnie stated flatly.  
  
“Oh,” Judy said.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick looked at the warren as the truck pulled up to it. The warren itself was a built up mound, pretty much a large hill. Trees dotted its hillside, with a large oak growing out of the center. The front entrance looked like a traditional house built into the side of the hill. The glittering of glass skylights could be seen to let natural light into some of the areas of the warren contained within. A small pawful of chimneys dotted the hillscape as well.  
  
The large parking lot in front of the warren held several vehicles, mostly pickup trucks and large SUVs, as well as a pair of large buses, with empty spaces for easily a dozen more.  
  
“So what do you think, Nick?” Judy asked as they climbed out of the truck.  
  
“It's different. I’ve lived in the city all my life, mostly apartments and other places….” Nick shrugged as he walked around to the back of the truck to get their bag. He watched as Cotton skipped off with her backpack and disappeared behind the front door.  
  
Judy smiled at him. “Think of it as a large underground apartment complex and you'll be fine.”  
  
Nick nodded as they walked to the front door.  
  
“You’re lucky that most of the kits are still at school right now. But brace yourself, the kerfluffle is going to be very interested in you” Judy warned.  
  
Nick swallowed. “The kerfluffle?” he asked nervously.  
  
Judy smiled and looked up at him. “Yeah, the horde of rampaging kits from the ages of four to about ten.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
“They are going to be very interested, as you’re going to be the second fox that they’ve ever had contact with, and the first actually in the warren,” Judy explained. “Don’t worry, you'll be fine.”  
  
“Who says I'm worried?” Nick asked as the tip of his tail flicked.  
  
Judy just smiled at him as she opened the door and held it for him.  
  
Nick had to duck down to enter the warren; thankfully, the ceilings beyond the doorways were tall enough to allow for him to walk upright with just an inch or so clearance, as long as he kept his ears back. The entry hall opened up to the right into a large mudroom with rows of lockers in it and what looked like stations to rinse muddy feet. To the left was a waiting area with color-coordinated dots on the floor. The walls of the entry hall were decorated with pictures of rabbits with awards for everything from growing vegetables to track and field; there was even one of a rabbit getting her badge from a sheep.  
  
The entry hall opened into a multi-leveled circular great room, on the bottom floor of which held a huge projector screen. Every level up from the bottom had a seating area that faced the screen, and each level had multiple hallways that branched off of it.  
  
“Come on, I'll show you where we’ll be sleeping tonight,” Judy said as she led him down a flight of stairs and a hall off of the level below.  
  
Nick had to duck to use the stairs, but the level below was able to accommodate him easily enough. As they traveled along the hallway, Nick read the names on the door plaques. Some of the doors were blank, but most held names. The names are alphabetical, Nick quickly realized.  
  
Judy opened a door close to the end of the hall, and Nick once again had to duck to get inside.  
  
Nick looked around the small room; if he stretched out his arms he could easily touch either side of it at the same time. It makes the elephant-sized shoebox she’d lived in look big, he thought. The bookshelf held mostly mystery novels, but had several books missing off of it. Those were probably the romance novels Bonnie talked about, Nick thought to himself. The walls were decorated in an odd assortment of ZPD, boyband, and Gazelle posters. That bed is just big enough for her and the army of plushies on it, Nick thought as he looked over the bed. Looking down at the floor there was maybe just enough space for him to sleep there between her desk and bed.  
  
“Well, this is going to be cozy,” Nick said after a few minutes. “I guess I’m sleeping on the floor tonight?”  
  
“Nope, if we move the plushies to the desk there should be just enough space for us to curl up together on the bed,” Judy informed him as she started to move them all. “I’ll probably start giving these away to my younger siblings.”  
  
“Oh?” Nick asked.  
  
“Well, they’re kind of not needed anymore,” Judy explained.  
  
“Find something better?” Nick asked with a smile on his face.  
  
“Warmer, not sure about better,” Judy said playfully.  
  
“I can honestly say you beat any pillow that I have may or may not have ever snuggled with,” Nick said. “But with that being said, who is Pop-Pop?”  
  
  
Judy sighed. “Pop-Pop is my grandfather,” she explained as she moved the last of the stuffies off of the bed. “There, see, plenty of room!”  
  
“Ok, so he's your grandfather,” Nick said dryly. “Not seeing a reason for you and your family to act like it’s the end of the world.”  
  
Judy sighed and looked up at him. “He's the most speciest rabbit that has ever lived.”  
  
“Are we talking Bellweather level? Or is it more of a general dislike?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Mom tells me he's asked if you’ve eaten me yet almost every time he talks to her.”  
  
Nick sat down beside her. “Really?” he asked with an amused snort.  
  
“Yeah, and he says you’re red because the devil made you.”  
  
Nick chuckled. “Wow, it’s been a while since I heard that one.”  
  
Nick looked down at her. “Marian, or the Fox Mother, daughter of Karma, didn’t make red foxes red because we’re from the devil,” he said with a smile on his face. “Red is the color every mammal associates with fire, blood, and war. Our color serves as a warning to those that would do our families harm. But it also puts our deep passion, desire, and love on display for the world to see.”  
  
Judy smiled at him. “Who would have thought foxes were sentimental about colors?”  
  
Nick winked at her. “I guess it's the same with rabbits and flowers.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Cotton skipped out of the warren and headed north around the mound and trees that made up the warren proper. Grandma and Grandpa didn't like them playing in the trees that made up the warren. They said the grove that made up the warren was sacred and was a place of peace; that's why they lived under it. She did like to lay under them in the summer and listen to the songbirds that made their nests in the trees.  
  
Cotton slowed to a walk as she neared the cornfield; Grandpa got mad at them if they trampled the enormous stalks of corn, not that she could have done much, if any, damage to them now as they towered over her, almost ready to harvest. Where she wanted to be was on the other side of the cornfield, her little secret place where she went when she needed to be alone.  
  
“I hate it when they fight,” Cotton mumbled to herself. The fights had slowly become louder over the last several weeks. Why doesn't grandpa like Mr. Nick? He makes pancakes and likes berries and married Aunt Judy, Cotton thought. “Pop-Pop won't like Mr. Nick either,” Cotton mumbled as she gently touched the large corn stalks on her way through.  
  
Cotton smiled as she cleared the cornfield and saw the two small trees that were her destination. She had no idea why the wooden platform had been built between the trees, and she didn't ask anyone. It made a nice place to relax without getting any grass stains on her clothes to make the laundry crew unhappy with her.  
  
She walked between the trees where the wooden platform sat embedded in the ground. It creaked as she put her weight on it. Cotton paused for a second and looked down at it. It’s always creaked, but was it always that loud? she thought to herself, just before shrugging and plopping down on her butt in the center of it.  
  
Cotton's eyes went wide as the wood kept creaking, then the sound of snapping lumber filled her ears. She didn't even have time to scream before the platform gave way and she fell into the dark maw of the ground it covered.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy spread out a blanket on the lawn while Nick held their dinner plates. Mostly vegetables and fruit finger foods with some dip. She even snuck out a small carton of blueberries for them to share. They had slipped out of one of the warren’s many side entrances before Pop-Pop had fully entered the warren.  
  
Maybe it was a little cowardly of me, she thought as they settled down onto the blanket. With everything else going on I do not want to subject him to that level of hate.  
  
Nick argued against not meeting Pop-Pop, but in the end, bowed to his wife's wishes on the matter. “One overly speciest rabbit cannot be any worse than an entire city,” she remembered him arguing. But the fact remained that right now just didn’t feel like the time to subject him to it.  
  
Nick's ears swiveled as he looked around. “Is it always so quiet out here?” he asked.  
  
“Yeah, for the most part,” Judy answered.  
  
“It's kind of eerie in a way,” he said as they settled onto the blanket, his tail wrapped around her hips.  
  
“How so?” Judy asked as she munched on a piece of celery with some ranch dip.  
  
“Well in the city, even in the middle of the night there’s always some noise.” Nick shrugged.  
  
“Its Autumn, most of the birds have flown south for the winter,” Judy tried to explain.  
  
Nick nodded as he finished his plate of vegetables.  
  
“We can go into town tomorrow and get you some meat,” Judy said.  
  
“We don't have to, I can survive for a while on vegetables.”  
  
“Dr. Treeroot said you'll need more protein in your diet, and that’s ok. Mom is putting us in the honeymoon suite for that reason” Judy said.  
  
“You sure that's the reason, or is she wanting us to keep trying to give her grandkits?” Nick said with a smile as he looked at Judy out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Judy blushed. “Why not both?” She eyed him. “Besides, I don't think you're going to complain.”  
  
“Complain about what?”  
  
Judy laughed. “See you dumb fox, you made my point for me.”  
  
“Sly bunny,” Nick said as he leaned in closer to her.  
  
Judy started to lean in to kiss him when she heard her mom yell, “COTTON!”  
  
Judy and Nick both turned to see hundreds of rabbits pouring out of the warren, all yelling for Cotton.  
  
“I'm telling ya, Patty, Trudy’s fox ate Peyton,” Pop-Pop’s crusty voice could be heard over the din.  
  
“He’s right Bon, I bet that fox had something to do with it.”  
  
“Oh stop it, Stu, you’re sounding worse than my father,” Bonnie said as she walked across the lawn. “Jude! Have you or Nick seen Cotton?”  
  
Judy looked at Nick questioningly.  
  
“I haven't seen her since we went inside,” Nick answered.  
  
“No Mom, we haven't seen her in hours,” Judy called back.  
  
Nick observed the elder rabbit make his way across the law with his cane. “You did something to that sweet little bunny didn't you, red devil?” Pop called. “Oh, that poor thing, to die as a meal for a fox. I hope you’re happy Trudy; Peytie’s death is on your paws!”  
  
Nick's ears pinned back and he swallowed nervously, visions of a rabbit lynching mob filling his mind.  
  
“Nick has been with me all afternoon, there is no way he could have done anything to Cotton,” Judy tried to explain.  
  
“So you’re covering for him?” a voice called out from the mob.  
  
“Oh, sweet cheese and crackers, will you all please just shut up!” Judy all but yelled. “Mom, what's going on?”  
  
“Cotton is missing Jude, the last group just went through; she didn't check in for dinner, and no one has seen her all afternoon…” Bonnie explained.  
  
“It was a busy day; maybe she fell asleep?” Nick asked as he stood up, suddenly very nervous about all the rabbits and the tension in the air.  
  
“She's not in our room, and her bag is still packed,” supplied another rabbit who pushed her way forward. She looked a lot like Cotton but older, with blue eyes instead of green; Nick assumed it was her mother.  
  
Nick looked over all the rabbits, hundreds of pairs of ears and eyes training on him. Some were curious, others seemed angry and accusatory, and some just looked bored. Their scents mixed with tinges of anger and fear. Nick's mind blanked slightly as his brain attempted to process all the scents.  
  
“Scents…” He mumbled.  
  
“You’re not making any sense, you red devil!” Pop-Pop yelled.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked.  
  
“Too many rabbits…” Nick answered.  
  
“Mom, get everyone back inside,” Judy said.  
  
“But why? If she's out here…” Bonnie started.  
  
“Mom, there’s too many different scents; if Nick is going to try to track her then…” Judy started to explain.  
  
“Oh…OH!” Bonnie shouted suddenly, understanding. “EVERYONE BACK INSIDE RIGHT NOW OR NO COOKIES!”  
  
Nick watched as most of the rabbits started going back inside the warren.  
  
“Why?” some bunny shouted. “I bet he already knows where her body is!”  
  
“Yeah, I bet she's right in his belly!” Pop-Pop shouted, and started poking at Nick with his cane. “We should just slit him open right here to find out!”  
  
“I’m going to need her bag as well,” Nick said.  
  
“Dad, I swear, if you poke Nick one more time with that cane, I’ll cook you up for him myself,” Bonnie said threateningly.  
  
“I'll get the bag for you, Nick!” Judy said as she took off running for the house.  
  
“I swear Patty, I raised you better than that…” Pop-Pop said as he started to shuffle for the house. “I hope I’d give him indigestion though…”  
  
“I’ll make sure Nick here doesn't try anything sly like slinking off…” Stu said as Nick sat back down onto the blanket to wait.  
  
Stu glared at Nick his teeth grinding as Nick casually picked up a pawful of blueberries and started to eat them.  
  
Nick could almost feel Stu’s eyes on him as he ate the blueberries his tail tip flicked back and forth.  
  
“So… what did you do with her?” Stu ground out after a few moments.  
  
“Cotton? I watched a movie on FurFlix with her the night before last. She fell asleep on my couch,” Nick answered casually as he munched on a blueberry. “A silly movie with a chicken that kept getting into odd situations over a piece of corn.”  
  
“That's not what I meant.”  
  
“Oh, I know, but any answer I give you, you won't believe so why should I?” Nick turned his head and looked at Stu. “Why do you hate me? You don't even know me, so why?”  
  
Stu stepped back a little bit from Nick.  
  
“I kinda get it though, I mean, my kind once hunted yours for food, right? Thousands of years ago that is. Then that stupid war.” Nick shook his head. “But is that really worth destroying food and a bed that you paid for? For crimes that were committed before I was even born?”  
  
“Ok, Nick, I have her bag,” Judy called out as she ran across the lawn.  
  
Nick stood as he popped the last blueberry in his mouth. He walked toward Judy, trying to remember everything he could about tracking from the academy. While at the time his nose wasn't as good as a wolf's, it was still better than the average mammal and could be useful in a prolonged search.  
  
 _“First, isolate the scent; find a place you can confirm the last subject was at last,”_ he heard the grizzled old coyote that taught the class say in his head. Going into the warren would be useless; too many scents to sort out, and she lives there, Nick thought as he turned his eyes toward the large parking lot. _“The truck…”_ He thought.  
  
“Hey, Fluff, do you remember what truck we rode in today?” Nick asked.  
  
“Yeah, why?”  
  
“I need to isolate her scent somewhere we know she's been, and going into the warren would be useless,” Nick explained.  
  
“Ok!” Judy all but ran to the truck. Nick followed, with Stu trailing behind as well with one paw in his pocket.  
  
“Why would going into the warren be useless?” Stu asked, slightly out of breath.  
  
Nick opened the rear passenger side door and sniffed the seat. He could still smell himself, and it smelled like no one else had been there recently.  
  
“Too many rabbits; you have, what, two maybe three hundred rabbits living in your warren?” Nick asked.  
  
“Sounds about right,” Stu admitted.  
  
“Well, cram three hundred carrots in your mouth and tell me which one had butter on it,” Nick explained as he took the backpack from Judy.  
  
Nick leaned into the truck and started sniffing the center seat where Cotton had sat. Nick then unzipped the backpack and stuffed his nose into the opening and sniffed a few times before going back to the seat.  
  
It took multiple tries before he could quickly isolate the scent in his mind. His eyes shifted slightly, and grey rings appeared around his vision as he dropped to all fours in the graveled parking lot. Nick followed the scent trail,which went under a large 4x4 that hadn’t been parked there earlier. He paused and looked up at the path that led from the parking lot to the warren itself, then turned to the left, moving around the outer edge of it. The grey in his vision moved as Judy and Stu followed him.  
  
Nick picked the trail back up on the northern side of the warren. He followed it around to where it disappeared into the mess at the front door before turning back around and following it back to the northern side. The trail wasn't steady like it had been from the truck to the path. It was broken up into single paw prints, like she’d been running, or… _“Skipping…”_ Nick said as he reached the first smudge of scent.  
  
“Fluff, I need light,” Nick almost growled as he closed his eyes.  
  
“Ok.” Judy turned on the flashlight built into her phone and shined it on the ground in front of him. Nick studied the way the grass twisted and poked at it a bit with a claw. To his left lay the mound of the warren, to his right a corn field.  
  
If she were in the warren, she would have heard them call her name, he reasoned, and turned to his right, his head sweeping back and forth across the lawn as he walked toward the cornfield. He almost turned back when he caught a whiff of Cotton's scent once again. It was small, like just the toes of her foot had planted before she pushed off again. Nick kept walking toward the cornfield.  
  
“She wouldn't have gone in there,” Stu said.  
  
Nick ignored him as the trail once again thickened into regular walking paw prints. He looked up at the sky; there was almost no light left.  
  
“Carrots, get on my back; going to need light through here where she entered the field. Mr. Hopps, I need to ask you to stay here and wait for us to call.” Nick said as he waited.  
  
“Now you just wait one cotton pickin' minute!” Stu started.  
  
“I'm not carrying a mammal whose paw hasn't left the taser in his pocket since being left alone with me,” Nick explained.  
  
Judy paused and stared at her father before she threw her leg over Nick's back. “Dad, we’ll talk about this later. Go back to the warren. I’ll call once we find her.”  
  
Nick didn’t even wait; he just put his nose back down and started to follow the trail into the field of corn with Judy’s phone flash lighting the way. He was slowly able to pick up the pace, but Judy had to lay against his back, otherwise the corn leaves would be smacking her in the face. The trail was fairly straight; the few places where Cotton had touched the stalks helped reinforce the knowledge that they were going in the right direction.  
  
“How did you know about the taser?” Judy asked a few moments later.  
  
“When we doubled back I could smell the ozone from him testing the battery,” Nick explained.  
  
Nick’s eyes came up as they exited the cornfield. The moon had started to rise, giving him more light. “You can turn off your light, Fluff.”  
  
“Nick, I'm sorry,” Judy said as she sat up on his back and turned off her phone.  
  
“For?” Nick asked as he looked around, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the low light once again.  
  
“My dad being a jerk.”  
  
Nick's ears perked up at a faint noise in the air. He could just make out a pair of trees. He studied the scent trail in front of him and then looked at the trees again. “Hold on,” Nick said as he took off on all fours in a sudden burst of speed, running for the pair of trees.  
  
“WHOA!” Judy yelled, grabbing the back of his shirt as he ran, the wind and speed causing her ears to fly behind her.  
  
Nick slowed as they neared the trees; he could just make out the broken wood.  
  
Judy’s ears flew straight up as she made out the faint cries. “COTTON!” she yelled.  
  
“JUDY?!” Cotton cried as they neared the broken cover. Judy turned her cell phone light back on and looked down the hole.  
  
“Cotton, are you ok?” Judy called down the hole, her voice thick with worry and relief.  
  
“My leg kinda hurts, and I'm cold…” Cotton called back up. “Aunt Judy, I'm sorry…”  
  
Nick's ears pinned back as he paced around the hole, looking down it. It wasn't overly large, but it wasn't small either. He could see it was lined in stone. An old well perhaps? Nick thought to himself. The sound of Cotton splashing in water only reinforced that.  
  
“Cotton, don't you worry about that right now. I'm going to call Dad so we can get you out of there,” Judy called down.  
  
Nick watched as Judy backed away and he looked down the hole again, his night vision just able to pick up the shapes. He looked back to Judy, but the sobs from the bottom pulled his attention back down. Before he could think about how crazy the idea was, he stood and tucked the edge of his shirt into his pants. His instincts yelled at him to go head first.  
  
Nick stepped up to the hole and looked down it once again, but this time didn't stop. His front paws were able to reach both sides of the well and arrest his fall, while his rear ones kept pushing him forward until they scrambled for a moment, then pressed firmly against the sides of the well.  
  
“Dad, we found her! She's down the old farmstead well on the other side of the cornfield.” Judy turned just in time to see the tip of her husband’s tail disappear down the well. “NICK!” she screamed as her brain processed what was going on.  
  
Nick's paw pads slipped a bit on some of the stone. “Fuck,” he grunted under his breath; he could now smell the water. It wasn't the freshest smelling water, and the temperature dropped the closer he got to the bottom.  
  
“M-M- Mr. Nick?” Cotton said softly. Nick couldn't tell if it was fear or the cold that caused her to stutter.  
  
“Yeah, it's me Cotton Ball, you ok?” Nick said as he bent himself in two to let his hind legs down into the water. He winced at how cold it was. The water came up to his knees, but on Cotton, it was just over waist deep.  
  
“My leg hurts,” Cotton said softly.  
  
“Which one, right or left?” Nick asked gently.  
  
“My right one….”  
  
“I'm going to touch you to make sure nothing is broken, ok?” Nick was pretty sure it wasn't, but the cold water could be numbing the pain.  
  
“Ok…”  
  
Nick dipped his paws into the water and ran them down her right leg as gently as he could, squeezing just a bit to see if anything shifted in a way it should not have. He sighed in relief as everything felt fine.  
  
“NICK!” Judy called down the well, shining her light again.  
  
“Nothing on her seems to be broken. I think she may have a sprain though, and is probably pretty badly bruised from the fall,” Nick called up, as he dried his paws on his pants before feeling Cotton's ears.  
  
“Dad's on his way…” Judy started.  
  
“We’re going to need EMS, Carrots; she's freezing,” Nick called up, pulling his paws away from Cotton's ears.  
  
Nick looked up the well; it seemed to be shorter than the ice wall at the academy, and he’d had to do the final of that with full tactical gear on. He looked back down at the bunny at his feet, then looked up again. If only I had a vest…. He paused and looked down at Cotton again.  
  
“Ok Cotton Ball, this is going to get a little awkward, but I'm going to get you out of here, ok?” Nick said as he started to unbutton his shirt.  
  
Nick picked her up. “Now I want you to wrap your legs around my stomach.” He winced at the cold of her legs as they wrapped around his waist and cradled her to his chest. “Now your arms around my chest.” He buttoned his shirt back up as she clung to him. “Now this might be a little scary, and you might hear me say some very adult words, but I'm getting you out of here, ok?”  
  
“NICK! What in the name of sweet corn do you think you're doing?” Judy called down to him.  
  
“I’m saving our niece, Fluff!” Nick yelled up the well as he extended his claws. “Can you shine your light down here? A little extra light would be great.” He studied the sides of the well for a moment before reaching up and hooking his fingertips and claws into seams on either side of the walls of the well and pulled himself up out of the water.  
  
“Fuck,” Nick growled at the pain pulling on his claws as he shook his legs one at a time, trying to get as much of the water off of them as he could. Nick planted his feet on either side of the well pushing as hard as he could and started to relax some of his weight onto them. “Shit…” he hissed as he slipped on the jagged stone, causing it to cutinto his paw pads somewhat.  
  
“Nick?” Judy called down the well. She heard his cussing, and her nose and tail twitched as he looked up at her. The set determination on his face was a rare sight, but what set her back the most was the full shift of his eyes to vertically slit pupils.  
  
Nick could feel Cotton shivering against his core, making each movement of his paws seem more vital to him. He growled low; the sound was echoing in the enclosed space as he clawed his way up. At times bits of stone dug painfully into his paw pads; others it felt like he was going to rip his own claws out of his paws. At last, after what felt like hours and a mile long climb, his raw paw slapped against the splintered wood of the well cover, his claws digging into the wood for purchase. The wood groaned ominously, so he repositioned his paw carefully.  
  
Judy’s eyes went wide at the bloody paw print left behind when he moved to reposition his paw. She grabbed his paw and braced her legs as best as she could, knowing that if he fell she wouldn't be able to hold his weight for long. “Come on Nick, you got this.”  
  
The wood groaned but held as Nick scrambled the rest of the way out of the well. He scrambled away from the hole on all four paws before rubbing the bulge in his shirt vigorously. He unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt and Cotton's head came into view, her face buried into the fur of Nick's chest.  
  
Judy could see the blood smeared on his shirt from trying to warm Cotton up. Nick's eyes came up to meet hers, worry painted in them clearly as they reverted back to normal. She sighed a breath of relief, as she didn't want her parents to see him like that, regardless of the circumstances.  
Judy reached into Nick's shirt and started to feel her niece just a bit checking for injuries herself. Cotton pulled back just a bit at Judy’s prodding and opened her eyes; they were watery, and her nose ran just a bit. Judy could tell she was cold, perhaps too cold. The soaking wet pants and fur were not helping matters much. She could hear one of the work trucks in the distance. Judy turned her attention to Nick's paws, pulling them away from being wrapped around the young bunny.  
  
Nick’s right paw pad was almost entirely shredded, and blood oozed from various cuts and lacerations around his claws. His left paw, while not as bad, was still relatively well torn up. The real damage was to the pads of his feet; it looked like someone had taken sandpaper to them, and in some places he was missing large tufts of fur.  
  
Judy looked up as the truck stopped with its heads lights shining directly on Nick and Judy. The dark splotches of blood staining Nick's shirt were clearly visible. Nick made to stand up and go to the truck, but yelped as soon as he put weight on his right foot and almost completely collapsed. A solid grey rabbit with black lining her ears and carrying a medical supply kit was the first out of the truck;she rushed over to them.  
  
“Whose blood is this?” the rabbit asked.  
  
“Clara?” Judy asked as she blinked in surprise.  
  
“Hey, Jude the Dude,” Clara responded. “Now, whose blood?”  
  
“Nick’s,” Judy responded as Nick started to growl when the strange rabbit attempted to pull open his shirt.  
  
Clara looked between the fox and her sister, getting ready to back away.  
  
“Nick, Nick listen to me. Clara is a doctor; she's going to help Cotton, ok?” Nick closed his eyes and nodded pulling his shirt open for Clara to take Cotton.  
  
“She's really cold, but breathing; said her right leg hurt, but didn't feel like anything was broken,” Nick reported as he looked down at Cotton.  
  
“Judy, take Cotton and get her in the truck and out of the wet pants. I’ll see to your fox,” Clara said.  
  
Judy nodded and started to pull Cotton out of Nick's shirt gently. “No!” Cotton yelled, latching on harder to Nick's fur.  
  
“It’ll be ok, Cotton Ball. I'll be along as soon as Clara looks at my paws,” Nick explained.  
  
“Promise?” Cotton asked quietly.  
  
“Yeah, I promise,” Nick answered her softly.  
  
Judy cradled Cotton in her arms as she walked her to the truck. Her eyes were drawn to her father as the sound of plastic hitting the ground filled her ears. Her eyes tracked down to her father's feet, where the fox taser had landed on the ground.  
  
Nick watched as the rabbit poked and wiped his wounds with an antiseptic pad from her kit. “You're going to need stitches, and from the looks of your feet, you're going to be off of them for at least two weeks, maybe more,” Clara told him.  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
“Dad, can you pull the truck closer? We need to get him inside of it and into the clinic in the warren,” Clara said.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick sat quietly as Clara stitched up his right paw. His attention was almost solely on Cotton, who was bundled up with several hot water bottles on the gurney beside him. His left paw ended up not being as bad and just had a bandage covering most of his palm. His right needed stitches.  
  
“She’ll be ok,” Clara said as she worked on his palm.  
  
“Who?” Nick asked as he pulled his gaze away from Cotton, not really having paid that much attention to anything else.  
  
“Cotton, she’ll be ok. Her body temp got dangerously low, but she'll be ok.”  
  
Nick nodded and softly stroked Cotton's ears back with the backs of his fingers.  
  
“It's rare for another mammal to do what you did…”  
  
Nick snorted. “Then I work with a bunch of rare mammals” he said as he turned his attention more to Clara. “Married to the rarest of them all.”  
  
“So it's true then?” Clara asked.  
  
“What, that Judy and I married?” Nick asked.  
  
Clara nodded.  
  
“I didn’t think things in the warren stayed secret for long, but yes we are married.”  
  
Clara smiled. “Well then, welcome to the family. Didn’t say it was a secret, it’s just that rumors fly around; it's not like we sit down and have a meeting about who’s getting married, and to whom, or have a newsletter.” She paused in her stitching of his palm. “Maybe we should though…”  
  
“Well, with how many rabbits live here, I'm surprised there isn't a family newspaper, police force, and fire department,” Nick said.  
  
“Well the police force was Judy’s job, or at least she tried to.” Clara smiled. “Did she tell you about setting speed limits for the tractors?”  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow. “Oh really?”  
  
“Yeah, that lasted up until she wrote dad a ticket for 5 over,” Clara said, giggling at the memory. “Mom threatened to take the cost of the fine out of Judy’s allowance, and shortly after that the speed limit signs were taken down. I think they’re in the tractor barn somewhere.”  
  
“Her first case was about some missing cookies, but I think she was in on the heist,” Clara continued as she wrapped a bandage around his paw. “After a week and no new leads, she announced that the case had gone cold.”  
  
“Knowing Judy, there’s probably a case file in her room somewhere,” Nick said speculatively.  
  
“I would not doubt it,” Clara said. “She was always making notes about something with this carrot pen she had and a notebook.”  
  
“That pen wouldn't have had a voice recorder built into it, would it?” Nick asked.  
  
“Yeah, it did; she was always recording some sort of evidence with it. She went through a few of them; where she kept getting them I have no idea.”  
  
“I think she buys them wholesale now,” Nick admitted. “I think almost every case we’ve worked on has one of these pens as evidence.”  
  
Clara laughed. “If that's the case, then she's been somehow buying them wholesale since she was 10.”  
  
“Question for you, doc. You seem mighty comfortable around me, whereas the rest of the warren is on edge. Any reason for that?” Nick asked.  
  
“I did my residency program at Zootopia General a few years ago. After treating and working with more than a few predators, the fear tends to wear off. Don’t worry. If Cotton is anything to go by, the rest will follow soon enough.”  
  
“So Doc, what's the verdict? Is my husband going to live? Are we going to need to break out the bone saw and amputate something or what?” Judy asked as she walked into the infirmary.  
  
“He should be fine after an about a week of rest and some bunny TLC,” Clara said.  
  
“I think that can be arranged,” Judy said slyly. “Can he walk?”  
  
“Short distances; he needs to stay off those paws as much as possible, and you’ll need to keep them clean,” Clara explained as handed Judy a paper bag. “This should be everything he needs to keep them clean; if not, come down here and I can supply whatever is needed.”  
  
“How bad was the damage?” Judy asked.  
  
Clara shook her head. “His feet took most of it, but there’s little I can do for them; his right paw needed 24 stitches, and the left just a few minor scrapes. It looked worse out in the field than it really was.”  
  
Judy nodded and sighed with relief. “Well, you ready to get settled in Slick?”  
  
Nick looked up from his spot beside Cotton and nodded, giving the little bunny one last soft pet before slowly standing up, wincing with pain. Judy moved over to him and helped him along. He paused at the door of the infirmary just long enough to look back at Cotton curled up with a hot water bottle.  
  
“Worth it,” Nick said softly as he was lead out of the room.  
  
Noticing they were moving in the opposite way from which they came. “Hey, Carrots isn't your old room back that way,” Nick asked pointing over his shoulder.  
  
“Yeah, but dad figured out that the rabbit twin sized mattresses we use are as long as the fox queen size mattress and box spring are wide, so we moved some of them and their box springs onto the frame and made a temporary bed that is large enough for you to stretch out on,” Judy explained.  
  
“Well, I hope we’re not kicking anyone out of their beds…” Nick started.  
  
“Oh no, there are a few empty beds in the warren from my brothers who have moved out,” Judy explained.  
  
“Oh, what do they do now?” Nick asked curiously.  
  
“They still work the farm, they’ve just started burrows of their own with their wives,” Judy explained as she opened the door to what has now become their new quarters.  
  
They were spacious, maybe in total about a little larger than their combined living room, dining room, and kitchen combined. The bed took up most of the space, but there was still a small seating area with a fireplace and a flat panel tv hung above it. There was a little kitchen nook with a sink, stove/oven combo, fridge, and dishwasher, and a door that opened into a bathroom.  
  
“Dad said they’ll have the doors enlarged so you can fit easily through them,” Judy explained as he ducked through the door and made his way to the bed.  
  
“Really?” Nick asked. “Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's suddenly not ready to fry me, but that’s a drastic change from how he was this afternoon.”  
  
“Saving his grandkit, I think, forced Dad to reevaluate you. Plus, he hinted at something you said.” Judy explained as she got a small carton of blueberries from the fridge.  
  
Nick collapsed onto the bed with a sigh happy to get off his paws. He stared at the ceiling, his mind rolling over his niece's scent.  
  
“Nick, what's on your mind?” Judy asked quietly as she climbed up onto the bed and popped a blueberry into his mouth.  
  
“Is she your daughter?” Nick asked after a few minutes of mulling it over.  
  
“Daughter?” Judy asked, sounding a bit surprised. “Who, Cotton?”  
  
Nick nodded. “Her scent smells a lot like yours, but different. Not different bad or anything, but like a different shade…” Nick stumbled over the words, trying to explain. “It started to nag at me while we were watching the movie.If she is…” he looked up at her. “Then she's more than welcome in our pack.”  
  
“Nick…” Judy paused looking down into his eyes. “The only male I have ever been with is you. Cotton is not my daughter, but it doesn't surprise me that her scent is that similar…”  
  
Nick looked up into her eyes and waited.  
  
“I had a twin sister. Not just a litter mate, but an honest-to-goodness twin, right down to fur patterns.” Judy explained. “Jill… she got involved in… Well, we’re not sure what all she got involved in, but she ended up going to prison. She gave birth to Cotton there, and Mom and Dad got custody.”  
  
“Oh… If she's in prison…” Nick started.  
  
“Jill died; she was stabbed a few months after Cotton's second birthday.”  
  
“I didn’t mean…”  
  
“It’s ok, Nick. I took care of Cotton a lot while I was in college, and I love her deeply. Mom and Dad made me her Godmother. They tried hard to get me to adopt her, but I still had my sights on being a cop in Zootopia,” Judy explained. “I think the only reason they didn’t push me about it is because it would have been harder to find a buck that would marry me, even if the kit wasn't mine.”  
  
Judy popped another blueberry in his mouth and started to rub his ears. His eyes drooped as he relaxed.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked softly.  
  
“Mmm?”  
  
“I'm proud of you, but that was completely reckless and irresponsible. I didn’t marry you just to lose you down a decommissioned well, you dumb fox.” Judy started to wonder if this was how Chief Bogo felt at times.  
  
“Had to,” Nick answered, his eyes still closed, one of his ears attempting to flick in irritation in her paw.  
  
“No, no you did not; Dad was coming with ropes and help.”  
  
Nick opened his eyes and looked up at her, tilting his head back slightly. “I could hear her struggling. It was cold, and even colder in the well. So yes, I had to; she’s family,” he answered, and closed his eyes again.  
  
Judy sighed.  
  
“Did you happen to hear what Cotton’s body temp was down to?” Nick asked.  
  
“No…” Judy answered him quietly.  
  
“Your sister said she was about to go into hypothermic shock.” Nick opened his eyes and looked back up at her. “If we’d waited on your father, we may have possibly pulled a body out of that well, not Cotton.”  
  
“So stuffing her in your shirt…” Judy swallowed hard.  
  
Nick shrugged and stretched, whimpering slightly at the soreness of his muscles. “I just knew I had to get her out of the well. She was cold, dangerously cold, and stuffing her in my shirt seemed like the best idea at the time.” Nick chuckled. “Your mother’s probably going to hate me for a bit. Cotton is going to reek of me for a while, unless they use something other than the fluffy bunny shampoos that seem prevalent here.”  
  
“There are worse fates, I think, than reeking of scruffy fox,” Judy said with a smile. “Besides, Cotton likes you.”  
  
“Scruffy? Remember what your mother said; I dress better than you,” Nick said as he looked up at her.  
  
Judy blushed and smiled, thinking how much her country bumpkin look clashed with his city slicker style. “Yeah, well, arguably that doesn't take much Slick.”  
  
Nick smiled. “You’re cute regardless of what you wear… Or don’t wear.”  
  
Judy’s eyes darkened slightly as she looked down at him. He hadn’t really called her cute since getting permission weeks ago. _He doesn't mean it like that_ , she thought to herself. Her eyes lightened. “You think so?”  
  
“Oh, no Carrots. I don't think you're cute. I know you're cute, the way your nose twitches and your eyes sparkle, even the way you move. It all radiates from you regardless of what you wear or what you're doing,” Nick said softly.  
  
“Dumb silver-tongued fox,” Judy said as she leaned forward.  
  
“Cute bunny,” Nick said as he reached up with his left paw and pulled her down into a kiss. Their lips parted, and their tongues slowly danced as the kiss deepened, to be interrupted by a light knock at the door.  
  
Judy grumbled as she attempted to ignore the second knock.  
  
“I think you should answer that,” Nick said softly.  
  
“Fine, fine.” Judy got up off the bed to Nick’s rolling chuckles of amusement. “Coming, coming…” She called at the third knock. “Not a word Nick!”  
  
“But…”  
  
Judy glared at him before she turned and opened the door.  
  
“Uncle Nick!” came a squeal from the brown and pink blur that rushed past her.  
  
Judy turned just in time to see Cotton leap into Nick's lap and wrap him in a hug.  
  
“I’m sorry dear,” came Bonnie’s motherly voice. “She woke up, and we were getting ready to put her to bed with the others, but…” Bonnie shrugged. “She wanted to say goodnight to Nick.”  
  
Nick’s ears attempted to fall back, but he kept them upright and attentive on the little ball of energy that had appeared in his lap. Cotton was telling him something about being in the well. At least that's what he thought she was telling him. Words were being hurled at him with such speed it was impossible to say where one word ended and the next began. He and Judy had arrested an over-caffeinated squirrel in a park shortly after his graduation that spoke slower than the bunny kit.  
  
Judy watched as Nick slowly tilted his head in confusion as the animated ball of fluff started to use her paws to demonstrate something.  
  
“Mmmm, he's so good with her,” Bonnie said from beside her.  
  
“Yes, he's great,” Judy answered, trying to follow Cotton's conversation as well.  
  
“So, so, so, so…” Cotton huffed. “Can I spend the night?” Cotton gave him the most massive set of weaponized bunny eyes she possibly could.  
  
Nick's ears fell back as he looked to Judy, clearly unprepared, having no idea how the conversation had gottent to this point.  
  
“Not tonight dear, your aunt was about to give Uncle Nick a treat,” Bonnie said, giving Nick a wink as she gathered up Cotton in her arms.  
  
“Oh, oh, like pie? I like pie! Can I stay, pwease?” Cotton asked.  
  
“Maybe another night, Cotton Ball,” Nick said, in an attempt to mollify the young doe.  
  
“Awww!” Cotton wrapped her arms around Bonnie’s neck as her bottom lip shook.  
  
Judy sighed and shook her head. “Mom, it’s ok; with Nick's paws, I don't think we can have… pie.” She could hear Nick fighting hard to suppress a laugh.  
  
“Nonsense dear, you just need to get a little creative,” Bonnie started, causing Nick to let out a barking laugh at the look of almost horror Judy gave Bonnie.  
  
Judy pinched the bridge of her nose. “Mom, it’s ok, Cotton can stay tonight.”  
  
“Yay!” Cotton bounced out of Bonnie’s arms and back up onto the bed.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick laid curled up around the pair of rabbits in the bed with him. His nose rested between Judy’s ears. He could feel her soft breath brushing over the fur of his chest. Cotton had somehow wormed her way between him and Judy, not that he minded. He could feel the two sets of paws that lightly gripped the fur of his tail.  
  
 _I wonder if this is how Dad felt curled up around Mom and me,_ Nick silently wondered to himself.  
  
Nick's ears twitched with the unfamiliar sounds of the warren around them. Most of the rabbits were asleep, but there were a few night owls, or rabbits whose duties required them to be up at night. His eyes shifted around the room one last time, the faint red glow of the warrens nighttime lighting system making it seem to him as if the room was basked in the midday sun.  
  
His gaze shifted to Cotton as her left leg twitched inside her pink footed pajamas.  
  
 _It felt good to save her_ , he admitted to himself.  
  
 _Do you still want to be a cop?_ He heard Judy's question followed quickly by, _You would make a great cop._  
  
Nick looked at the young doe whose life he saved and closed his eyes as he relaxed.  
  
 _Maybe_ , he admitted, sounding far closer to yes than it did in the hospital.


	5. Episode 5: Time heals all wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this one more Fluffy Chapter to go then back to work.

# Episode 5: Time heals all wounds

  


  
"Oh, take your time, don't live too fast  
Troubles will come and they will pass  
You'll find a woman and you'll find love  
And don't forget, son, there is someone up above"  
"And be a simple kind of man  
Oh, be something you love and understand”  
Simple Man ~ Lynyrd Skynyrd  
  
  
“No…” Nick growled and lunged, falling face first off of the bed.  
  
“Nick!” Judy yelled, concern ringing clear in her voice.  
  
“Uncle Nick?” Cotton asked sleepily.  
  
Nick was whimpering on the floor, having landed on his paws.  
  
“Nick just had a bad dream, Cotton. Go back to sleep, ok?” Judy said as she slid out of the bed and walked over to Nick where he lay crumpled on the floor.  
  
Nick whimpered as he cradled his paws to his chest, his feet still up on the bed and tangled in a collection of sheets and blankets.  
  
“Nick?” Judy said as she approached the low red light of the room allowing her to see well enough. “Are you ok? Did you hurt your paws?”  
  
“Yeah; I may have popped a stitch through,” Nick said, his voice strained.  
  
“Another dream?” Judy asked as she turned on the lamp on the nightstand. The low white light brightened the room enough that the red lights turned off. She knelt beside him, taking his right paw into both of hers as gently as she could. She knew that the light spot of red on the white bandage didn't necessarily mean he popped a stitch; it could just be seepage. She looked up at his feet still on the bed. “Anything else hurt?”  
  
“Only my pride,” Nick admitted.  
  
Judy nodded and said, “Come on, let's get you back into bed,” as she helped him untangle his legs from the bedding.  
  
Cotton watched from the edge of the bed. “Is Uncle Nick ok?” she asked softly.  
  
“Yeah Cotton Ball, I just had a bad dream,” Nick admitted as he rolled over onto his back and sat up with Judy's help. He whined as he was forced to put weight on his torn hind paws and quickly rolled back into bed, sighing as the pain subsided.  
  
“I have scary dreams sometimes,” Cotton confided quietly.  
  
“Yeah?” Nick asked softly.  
  
Cotton nodded as she snuggled back against Nick's chest. “Gramma told me to remember I have bunnies that love me, and the dreams aren’t so bad.” Cotton yawned sleepily. “You have bunnies that love you, Uncle Nick.”  
  
Nick looked at Judy and smiled. “I do?”  
  
“Mmmmhmmm. Aunt Judy loves you, and Gramma I think, and I love you too, Uncle Nick.” Cotton snuggled her face into the start of Nick’s winter coat. “Make other bunnies cake and they'll love you too.”  
  
Nick smiled. “I love you too, Cotton.”  
  
Judy turned out the light and settled back into bed, the small bunny sandwiched between them. Nick smiled and covered Judy and Cotton with his tail, his right paw resting softly on the swell of Judy's hip.  
  
“You did good today Nick,” Judy whispered in the dark.  
  
“Thanks, Fluff,” Nick said quietly, his nose finding its way between Judy’s ears.  
  
Judy smiled, tilted her head up, and gave him a quick kiss on the underside of his muzzle. “Get some sleep you silly fox.”  
  
_I have bunnies that love me,_ Nick thought as he wrapped his tail up and over both of the bunnies. _They are safe, and I love them and they love me._ The thought and knowledge comforted him almost as much as their presence did. He could feel Cotton's small paws digging into the fur of his chest, her breathing evening out.  
  
Nick relaxed as his eyes took one last scan around the room, feeling Judy's paw reach up for his right ear. His eyes closed as he felt her rub it gently but firmly.  
  
Judy watched as Nick's eyes slowly closed in the dim red light of the room. She kept rubbing his ear until she was more than certain that he was once again asleep. “Serendipity,” she silently prayed. “Please watch over him, please help him.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick leaned heavily on Judy as she helped him hobble down the hall to the dining hall.  
  
“You _sure_ you don't want me to just bring your breakfast to the bedroom?” Judy asked for the tenth time that morning.  
  
“No Fluff, I'm not going to hide away. I’m here to meet your family, not hide from it,” Nick said.  
  
“Yeah, but you’re injured Nick…”  
  
“It's fine Fluff…”  
  
“But…”  
  
“Judy, it’s fine,” Nick said with an air of finality.  
  
“Ok, ok, I just wanted to make sure,” Judy said quietly. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too,” Nick smiled down at her. “Besides, I have it on good authority that all I need to do to get other bunnies to love me is bake cake.”  
  
Judy giggled. “That's going to be a lot of cake.”  
  
“It's the sacrifices some mammals have to make…” Nick hung his head pitifully as his stomach growled at them.  
  
“Well, come on, let's get you fed before some of my brothers and sisters start to look good to you,” Judy said jokingly.  
  
“Mmm they would only be so lucky, but unfortunately for them, the only bunny I have any interest in eating is you.”  
  
Judy smacked his arm. “Not where the little ones can hear, Nick…” she admonished as they entered the dining hall. Two long tables lined either side of the hall, with a shorter third across the back wall. It was the shorter third table that Judy took Nick to; it was mostly for her parents and visitors, but it was also the only table that had actual chairs instead of a long continuous bench. The din of hundreds of rabbits talking at once slowly died down as they entered until only the faint clanking of utensils on flatware could be heard.  
  
Nick's ears rotated this way and that, making out snippets of whispered conversation.  
  
“Do you think he pushed her down the well?”  
  
“I think he’s forcing her into a relationship.”  
  
“I bet he threatened to eat her if she didn’t marry him.”  
  
“Does it even fit?”  
  
Nick sighed as he settled into a chair and stretched out his legs so his feet didn't have any weight on them.  
  
“Ok, you sit here and I'll go get you some food,” Judy said softly.  
  
Nick nodded as his ears rotated around slightly once again. He ignored what seemed to be hundreds of eyes watching his every movement as he leaned back in his chair.  
  
“Uncle Nick!” came a shout from across the dining hall. Nick turned his head to see Cotton leading a small…group, posse, herd…Nick wasn't sure what to call the group of young bunnies, of bunnies to the table.  
  
“Hey Cotton Ball, sleep well last night?” Nick asked.  
  
“Uh-huh,” Nick smiled as the young bunny looked around nervously, seemingly having been made the spokes-rabbit for the group.  
  
“What can I do for you, Cotton?” Nick asked with a smile on his face, eyes roaming over the other kits before glancing around the room and noticing a lot of the closer rabbits watching him closely with the young ones.  
  
Cotton leaned in really close to him and whispered conspiratorially. “Cake.”  
  
Nick smiled at the young doe as movement out of the corners of his eyes drew his attention. Some of the rabbits close enough to eavesdrop perked up their ears. He grinned and leaned down closer to the doe. “Really now? What kind you thinking? Pancakes?” he whispered back.  
  
Cotton shook her head. “Nu-uh, _chocolate cake_ ” She grinned up at him, having said the last two words very deliberately.  
  
Nick smiled at the bunny and glanced around the room at all the ears suddenly turned their way.  
  
“I don't know Cotton Ball, I really hurt my paws last night; I’m not sure I can make enough cake today for the entire warren” he whispered back.  
  
“Awww!” came the reply from the kits, and maybe a few of the older rabbits nearby.  
  
Nick smiled as he looked over the bunnies, and leaned even closer. “I’ll tell you what though, I'll see about maybe making a small cake today.”  
  
“YAY!” the small gathering of bunnies cheered.  
  
“What's going on here?” Judy asked as she sat a plate of pancakes and assorted vegetables in front of him, causing the younger rabbits to scatter.  
  
“Oh, I think our niece just hustled me.” Nick smiled. “You should take some lessons Fluff. She didn't even need to pull my back taxes to do it.”  
  
“So what did she hustle out of you then?” Judy asked as she sat down beside him.  
  
Nick leaned in close to her and whispered, “Chocolate cake.”  
  
“Nick,” Judy hissed at him. “There is no way you can make enough cake for the warren!”  
  
“Who said I had to do it alone?”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Bonnie looked dumbfounded at her new son in law. “You want to make _how_ much cake?”  
  
Nick smiled at her. “Just enough that every rabbit in the warren can have a sizable slice.”  
  
“Sweet blessed blueberries,” Bonnie mumbled.  
  
“So that's where she gets it…” Nick said as he looked thoughtful. “But in all seriousness and adorable cursing aside, it won't be that hard; and I'm more than willing to pay for the ingredients…”  
  
“Nick, do you know why every rabbit ear in the dining hall started to listen in on our conversation?” Judy asked.  
  
“Because the legend that is my chocolate cake spreads fast?” Nick answered.  
  
“Sweet cheese and crackers, no. It’s because desserts here are almost currency since there’s never enough to go around,” Judy explained.  
  
“Why are you even considering this?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“So my new in-laws will stop looking at me like I'm about to turn the kits into finger food,” Nick explained.  
  
“And you think the quickest way to do that is through their stomachs?” Judy asked.  
  
“Well, it worked for you, didn’t it?”  
  
“Well, I already kinda liked you to start with…” Judy started and looked away quickly.  
  
“But I'm sure good food helped,” Bonnie spoke up. “Tell me Nick, did it take a chocolate cake to win my daughter over?”  
  
“Nope, she didn't hold out for the cake; it was omelets,” Nick said with a grin on his face.  
  
“Hey, that was just to agree to give you a chance and a date…” Judy started.  
  
“Yes, and after, you…” Nick started mumbling as Judy clamped his mouth shut with her paws.  
  
“I don't think Mom needs to know the details. We’ll make the cake.”  
  
“Oh, I don't know Judes, I think I could use some more convincing and that story just might do it,” Bonnie said with a grin.  
  
“Nick, so help me, if you tell Mom that story, I’ll…I’ll…I’ll cut off your supply of blueberries!” Judy said, looking him dead in the eyes.  
  
Nick’s eyes widened and his ears laid back. “I’m sorry Bonnie, I would love to tell you about what happened after taking your daughter to a swank restaurant and club, but she has me over a barrel here.”  
  
Bonnie laughed. “So, she won't withhold sex, but blueberries work to keep you in line. That’s good to know Nick, thank you.”  
  
“Oh, she won’t do that, because she enjoys…” The rest because an indecipherable mumble as Judy clamped down on his muzzle once again.  
  
“Nick!” she hissed, the inside of her ears going bright red.  
  
“Oh relax Jude, you already told me about the thing with his tongue. Now if only he could get your father…” Bonnie started.  
  
“MOM!” Judy interrupted.  
  
“What Judes? It sounds enjoyable.” Bonnie said, grinning at her daughter's discomfort.  
  
“You told her about that?” Nick asked, sounding surprised and eyeing his wife thoughtfully.  
  
“Oh sweet cheese and crackers, how did we get here? We’re supposed to be talking about cake, not our sex life,” Judy mumbled as she pulled her ears over her eyes.  
  
“She didn’t give any details, but bunnies do like to brag on their mates,” Bonnie informed him.  
  
Nick smiled. “Seems to be a bit of that in Lagomorph culture.”  
  
Bonnie smiled. “We like to show off. It's one of the few ways we can stand out in our culture.”  
  
“So standing out is bad?” Nick asked.  
  
“Not necessarily…” Bonnie admitted hesitantly.  
  
“Oh for fluff's sake!” Judy exclaimed.  
  
“It's a holdover Nick, kinda like how vulpines need to show they are good providers. Standing out in our culture could have gotten us killed thousands of years ago.”  
  
“Oh,” Nick said as he looked at his wife curiously.  
  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick collapsed onto the bed. His head was throbbing along time with his paws. The day and evening had been productive.  
  
“I think that went well…” Judy said as she gathered the supplies to change his bandages.  
  
“You think so?” Nick asked.  
  
“It mostly helped that the younger ones didn't seem afraid of you once you started handing out pieces of cake.” Judy smiled. “More than a few even started referring you as Nick instead of fox.”  
  
“Yeah, too bad about the fights that broke out…” Nick said sadly.  
  
“Yeah, well, you gave out more cake in a night than most of my family gets in a month,” Judy explained.  
  
Nick chuckled. “Yes, the favor to cake exchange rate ended up skewed.”  
  
Judy shrugged as she started to unwrap the bandages from around his feet. “Everyone is wondering if you’re going to do it again tomorrow.”  
  
“No, but I think we might eat in here tomorrow, maybe invite your parents. Do you think the cake went over well with your father?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy smiled. “He seemed impressed. I think saving Cotton did more for you with him than cake did.”  
  
Nick winced as she cleaned his paw pads. “How are my feet looking?”  
  
“Like ground turkey,” Judy said flatly. “Still think it was worth it?”  
  
“Absolutely one hundred percent,” Nick answered. “Just hurts a bit is all.”  
  
“I would imagine,” Judy said as she rewrapped his feet. “Let me see your paw.”  
  
Nick held out his paw for her and watched as she unwrapped the bandage covering his stitches. He watched as she poked and prodded the wound a bit before cleaning around it.  
  
“Doesn't look like you popped any of your stitches last night face planting into the floor,” Judy said with a smile.  
  
“That's good,” Nick said. “I was amused by all the rabbits going into food comas after the cake.”  
  
Judy smiled. “We don't get desserts like that often. The fact that you had mom and the kitchen crew make so much cake…”  
  
“Well it worked, didn’t it?” Nick asked.  
  
“Maybe for a few; there will still be holdouts,” Judy admitted as she cleaned around his stitches.  
  
“Holdouts are fine, as long as the conversation doesn't die just because we entered the room…”  
  
“That might still happen, but I think maybe not as bad.”  
  
“Then it was worth it.” Nick watched Judy. “Can I ask a question about your childhood, Fluff?”  
  
Judy looked up from his paw. “Sure, Nick.”  
  
“What was it like growing up as a rabbit that wanted to stand out?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy studied his eyes before looking back down at his paw. “Lonely,” she said after a few minutes. “I had a few friends, but most of my family wanted nothing to do with me. Mom and Dad tried, but, well.”  
  
“There are a lot of kits…” Nick admitted.  
  
Judy nodded. “In some ways that made it even easier. After a while, I just faded into the background noise of the rest of the warren.” Judy smiled. “Well, until the Mammal Inclusion Initiative was passed and I got my acceptance letter from then-Mayor Lionheart wanting me to be the first beneficiary of the MII.”  
  
Nick nodded. “Who were your friends?”  
  
“Bobby Catmull and Sharla Woolverson,” Judy answered.  
  
“Are they still in Bunnyburrow?” Nick asked. “I think I’d like to meet them.”  
  
Judy shook her head. “Bobby works over in Buffalo as a radio DJ, and Sharla is following her dream of becoming an astronaut. Her last email said that her training was going well. She's at Cape Hornavil in Roaridia.”  
  
Nick nodded.  
  
“She took Gid clawing me pretty hard; not sure how much she would have ended up liking you,” Judy admitted.  
  
“I think I would like to meet Gid,” Nick said.  
  
“He’s a different mammal now. State got involved after my clawing, and he spent a lot of time in the foster care system and therapy.” Nick's ears flattened.  
  
“Maybe the system is different out here, but in the city, fox kits don't do well in the system. Very few foster parents will take them on, and those that do…” Nick sighed.  
  
“Those that do what?” Judy asked.  
  
“Fox kits have a higher chance of abuse in the system,” Nick admitted.  
  
Judy nodded as she held his paw after wrapping it in a clean bandage. “Do you want kits?” She asked.  
  
“I don't know. Cotton is cute,” he admitted. “I can say that, right? I'm married to you; does that make me an honorary bunny now?”  
  
Judy smiled. “It’s… Fine, I know you don't mean it…”  
  
“So would that make me a box or a funny?” Nick asked.  
  
“Gah!” Judy exclaimed and punched him in the shoulder. “I'm trying to have a serious talk with you, and you turned it into a joke!”  
  
Nick rubbed his shoulder. “Well, it's a good thing I now know that you beating me up is a show of affection…” he said with a grin on his face.  
  
Judy glared at him.  
  
“But in all seriousness, I don't know. Maybe? Cotton is cute, and I definitely wouldn't leave her out in the rain. But another kit?” Nick shrugged. “Maybe?”  
  
“I don't know how I feel about kits,” Judy admitted. “But seeing you with Cotton makes me feel…” She blushed and looked away. “A bit nesty.”  
  
Nick smiled. “Like seeing me with her do you?”  
  
“Mom had me look after a few kits when I was 14 or so. She probably thought it would get me to drop my dream of becoming a cop. Just pushed me harder honestly.” Judy paused. “Cotton is… the only surviving kit of Jill's litter and, well, since I smell a lot like Jill, Cotton needed me.”  
  
“So you were her surrogate mother?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy nodded. “It was hard taking care of her and juggling college classes; ended up taking several of them online.”  
  
“So do you want kits?” Nick asked.  
  
“I don’t know, things have changed. You would make a great father and…” Judy shrugged. “I can't say the thought of our own fluffle doesn't somehow appeal now.”  
  
Nick chuckled. “I don't know about having a small herd of kits, Fluff. Especially with city living.”  
  
“We don’t have to live in the city…” Judy supplied.  
  
Nick looked at her. “I don't know, Judy, I'm not sure I’d be much of a farmer. Stu gets up way too early for my tastes. Besides, you know I'm not going to ask you to give up your dream.”  
  
“Do you still want to be a cop?” Judy asked him, her ears shot up right.  
  
Nick looked in her eyes, seeing the glimmer of hope in them. “It felt good to rescue Cotton from the well. Kinda felt like I made the world a better place.”  
  
Judy nodded. “The world is a better place with her in it.”  
  
“I agree.” Nick looked up at her. “I need some time though, Fluff. Besides, Chief Buffalo Butt would have our hides with me being injured again.”  
  
“Well, I guess that's a bright side of being suspended; we don't really have to write a report about rescuing Cotton from a well now, do we?”  
  
“Officer Fluff, I think I might be starting to rub off on you.”  
  
“Maybe not for a few more days Slick,” Judy paused and looked down at his paw. “At least not until you can start to put weight on this paw.”  
  
Nick looked up at his wife stunned before a sly grin slowly spread across his face. “Bravo, Fluff.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“So Cotton told me you had a bad dream a few days ago,” Clara said as she examined the stitches in his paw.  
  
Nick's ears fell back as he looked into Clara’s brown eyes, but he didn’t say anything.  
  
“It's to be expected, I think,” Clara said, not really looking up at him. “I think your stitches can come out now.” Clara started the slow process of removing his stitches with a pair of tweezers and scissors. “I had to request your medical file from Zootopia to make sure there wasn’t anything I should be aware of when treating you. Zootopia General had me contact your boss before they would send me the file.” Clara explained  
  
“What did Buffalo Butt tell you?” Nick asked.  
  
“Enough. You’re a brave fox, Nick,” Clara said, looking up at him for the first time. “I treated this old wolf as a resident. He was a combat vet; had horrible nightmares about things he experienced and had to do. He finally turned to alcohol and was brought in one night because he had broken his leg.”  
  
Nick listened quietly.  
  
“The smell of alcohol rolled off him so bad we couldn't give him any pain meds while we set his leg. In the end, he started to talk to me; I spent the rest of the evening listening to him,” Clara told him as she cut out the stitches. “My point is Nick, you don't have to go through what you're dealing with alone. I'm willing to listen, Judy is willing to listen, I bet even dad is willing to listen.”  
  
“Thanks,” Nick said.  
  
Clara looked up at him. “Well, you did save my niece, and also made an excellent cake a few days ago.”  
  
Nick smiled. “So the cake went a long way with you as well?”  
  
Clara smiled. “If you weren’t married to my sister I might give another look at foxes.”  
  
“Still can; there are lots of foxes in the world,” Nick said.  
  
“Not out here, and Gideon isn’t my type,” Clara said.  
  
Nick nodded. “I haven't met him yet.”  
  
“He’s different, not as angry as when he was a kit,” Clara said as she finished pulling his stitches.  
  
“So Judy has said,” Nick said as he flexed his paw. “I don't know him; he sounds kind enough, though.”  
  
Clara nodded. “How are your feet feeling?”  
  
“Better. Still hurts to walk on them, but not nearly as bad as it has been,” Nick answered.  
  
“Is Judy helping you keep them clean?”  
  
“Yes, she is, and has been fairly understanding about it,” Nick explained.  
  
Clara smiled at him. “Well, you should be fine in another week from the looks of things. Be careful with the paw though, but in a few more days you should have full use of it again.”  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the bottom floor of the Hopps great family room sat a large ornately carved fireplace. A large family portrait hung above it showing all of the Hopps that were around when it was taken. Large comfortable couches flanked the fireplace. Nick had become fascinated with the fireplace. Not for the picture but for the fire that seemed to continually burn in it since the weather had turned much colder.  
  
Nick had taken up having a mid-afternoon nap sprawled out on one of the couches while his paws healed. He loved the feel of the warmth that penetrated his thick winter coat. Bonnie and several of the older rabbits had been keeping the kits away from him, letting him sleep in peace.  
  
“Look it’s Uncle Nick…” whispered one of the younger kits.  
  
“My mom says to stay away from him because he has sharp teef,” whispered another one.  
  
“Aunt Judy married him, so he can't be that bad,” whispered a third.  
  
Nick's right ear flicked nervously. _It seems my afternoon naps are about to come to an end,_ he thought to himself.  
  
“Pop-pop says you can tell when a fox is gonna eat you because they'll grow two more legs…”  
  
“His tail looks soooo fluffy…”  
  
“He only has four paws, so maybe he's not that hungry…”  
  
“Hey, Johnny, I dare you to poke his teeth.”  
  
“Naaah,” whispered another bunny who Nick assumed was Johnny.  
  
“Are you scared?”  
  
“It's not very nice to poke your fingers into someone else’s mouth,” Nick said, not opening his eyes. He could hear the sudden gasp from the kits.  
  
“Good job, dufus, you woke him up!”  
  
“No, you woke him up!”  
  
“No, you!”  
  
“It’s so fluffy I'm gonna die!” Nick heard a bunny exclaim as he felt paws latch onto his tail.  
  
“Wow, look at how big his paws are!”  
  
“Can we see your claws?”  
  
“Can we see your teeth?”  
  
“Oh my god, oh my god, soooo fluffy!” He now felt weight rolling around in his tail.  
  
“Suzzy get out of…”  
  
“Soooooo fluffy! This must be why Judy loves him.” Nick opened his eyes and looked behind him to see a pair of blue eyes peeking at him from his tail and solid white ears sticking out it.  
  
“Oh hey, Nick you're awake…” Bonnie said. “Okay now kits, you need to run along; and Suzzy, you really shouldn't touch a fox’s tail without their permission.”  
  
“Buuut Gramma, it's sooooo fluffy!” Suzzy exclaimed.  
  
“Can we have cookies now?” one of the male kits asked.  
  
“Yeah, you promised…”  
  
_I have been hustled,_ Nick thought to himself.  
  
“I’m sure it is dear, but you really shouldn't touch another mammal’s tail without their permission, and yes, your cookies are waiting for you in the kitchen,” Bonnie said. “Now Nick, since you’re awake, would you mind giving me a paw with something?”  
  
Nick looked up into Bonnie’s eyes as she smiled innocently at him. “I might as well, since I'm awake now and all,” he said as he slowly sat up.  
  
“Now Nick, don't be going and sounding like your going off to your execution, or I could let you spend a bit more quality time with Suzzy and your tail,” Bonnie said with a smile. “Besides, I think you’ll enjoy this.”  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow and slowly got to his sore paws. “You are a shrewd negotiator Bonnie Hopps. Lead the way.”  
  
Nick stood and limped along behind Bonnie as she led him down various hallways.  
  
“You’re good with kits,” Bonnie said as she walked along beside him at his pace.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“I think you would make a good father,” Bonnie said, looking up at him to judge his reaction.  
  
“Judy has said something similar more than once.”  
  
“You don't believe her?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Nick shrugged. “You never know; anyone can be good with kits when you can give them back,” he explained. “I just feel it might be different if they’re my own.”  
  
“You’re more than likely correct Nick. My experience is when they’re your own you get even better.”  
  
Nick smiled down at her. “I take it this little conversation is supposed to get me to start pushing Judy into giving you more grand kits?”  
  
Bonnie smiled as they came to a door. “I would never try to use my daughter's husband to try to get some more grand kits. But I imagine they would be the cutest things ever.”  
  
Nick smiled at her, but his smile faltered a bit when they entered a nursery. The lighting of the room was subdued. His ears fell back; the room had almost the same feel as one of the rooms they’d cleared under the Leaperson compound. The big difference was that this one was missing the cages. In their place was over a dozen cribs some being warmed with heat lamps, while others were dark.  
  
The room was attended by a few female rabbits; a few glared at him as he entered. Others welcomed him with a smile, and one or two seemed indifferent.  
  
“It's fine Nick, come on in.” Bonnie said, “If some bunnies don't like you being here they can find someplace else to be. Besides, Clara had an emergency in town she had to go see to, and her kits need a feeding.”  
  
“Clara’s kits?” Nick asked.  
  
“Yes; she and her husband are living here in the Hopps warren while they save for their own plot of land to start digging their burrow,” Bonnie explained while motioning to a stool beside one of the cradles. “Now sit.”  
  
Nick watched as Bonnie walked across the room to gather up a few things and came back with a pair of bottles and small blue squares of fabric.  
  
“Now, with your bigger paws, this might be a little tricky,” Bonnie said, handing him one of the small bottles and one of the cloths.  
  
Bonnie reached into the crib and pulled out one of the small rabbit kits and placed it into his left paw. Nick looked down at the little kit not much bigger than his smallest finger. Bonnie helped him cradle the kit between two of his fingers and held it in place gently with his thumb. He had to hold the little bottle with the tips of his thumb and forefinger.  
  
Nick's ears pinned back and flicked nervously while the kit sucked down the bottle of milk. “How old are they?” he asked.  
  
“About six weeks. Relax, Nick, you’re doing fine,” Bonnie said.  
  
“Am I?” Nick asked nervously. “Clara is aware…”  
  
“Yes, yes, I told her I was going to get you to help,” Bonnie reassured him.  
  
His eyes turned back down to the kit in his paw. _So small,_ he thought to himself. _Judy was once this small._ Nick watched as the hungry kit sucked down the bottle of milk surprisingly quickly.  
  
“So it starts early,” Nick said with a smile on his face.  
  
“What's that?” Bonnie asked looking up.  
  
“I'm just commenting that the ability to put away a large amount of food starts early for rabbits.”  
  
“For some I suppose,” Bonnie said as she started to pat the back of the kit she was holding. The belch that the kit made sounded overly large to come out of something so small.  
  
“Do they have names?” Nick asked.  
  
“We don't name our young until after their first birthday. They get unofficial names, nicknames if you will.”  
  
“Like Jude the Dude?” Nick asked.  
  
Bonnie chuckled. “Something like that. Even as a baby she was a fighter; had to be either at the very bottom of the pile or at the very top.”  
  
“So why do you wait until after their first birthday to name them officially?” Nick asked as Bonnie took the kit and burped it as well.  
  
“We don't speak of that in front of the little ones; it’s bad luck,” Bonnie said quietly as she placed the kit back into the crib and walked across the room to get another pair of bottles.  
  
Nick looked down at the little black and white bunny popped into his paw. He smiled as the kit’s big brown eyes looked up at him. The kit’s little paws gripped his thumb as it sucked down the bottle.  
  
_“Ready to make the world a better place Nick?”_ he heard Judy say in his head.  
  
Nick sat the empty bottle aside and looked down at the kit who nuzzled into his paw pad. _Taking out one drug lord won't stop the flow of drugs,_ Nick thought, his eyes never leaving the kit.  
  
_No, but it’ll slow it down for a while,_ Nick answered himself.  
  
_Haven’t you given enough?_ a cynical voice sounded in his head.  
  
_“It's our duty to help…”_ he heard Judy again.  
  
“Come on Nick, all done,” Bonnie said as she took the kit out of his paw. “I did the last one while you were lost in thought.”  
  
“Sorry, Bonnie…” Nick's hears perked up as the kit gave a startled cry.  
  
“Shhh, little one, it's ok…” Bonnie cooed at it as she placed it back into the crib with its brothers and sisters.  
  
Nick followed Bonnie out of the nursery, pausing at the door to look at the crib before walking down the hall. He looked down at Bonnie as his thoughts settled.  
  
“Why do you wait until their first birthday to name them?” Nick asked.  
  
“There are a few reasons. One, Serendipity teaches us that our names have meaning and power. But I guess the real reasons behind it are holdovers, not just from when we were hunted, but also more recently medical,” Bonnie explained. “Lagomorphs suffered an abnormally high chance for sudden kit death, in which 1 in 3 kits born dies for a reason that medical science hasn't fully explained yet. In more recent years, it's now 1 in 100.”  
  
Nick swallowed. “Have you…”  
  
“No, I've been blessed, but it's part of the reason we don't name them until after their first birthday. The major part these days,” Bonnie answered.  
  
“So speaking of it in there…”  
  
“Invites it in,” Bonnie said. “I know it’s silly; medically we know its a viral infection, but if it’s worked…”  
  
“I think I understand,” Nick said quietly. “May I ask a rather sensitive question?”  
  
“We’re already discussing a sensitive topic, but I don't see why not,” Bonnie answered.  
  
“How can you have a family this large?” Nick asked.  
  
“Well, you see Nick, when a mommy rabbit and a daddy rabbit love each other very much…” Bonnie started.  
  
“Gah, not what I mean Bonnie! How can you afford it? How come rabbits haven’t overrun the world?” Nick asked.  
  
Bonnie grinned up at him. “I figured, but couldn't resist. The simple answer is, by law a family of rabbits must have a quarter acre of farmland per rabbit in the household. But that would only feed us, and not supply things like electricity and other things that our modern lives depend on.”  
  
“Oh, so just how big is the farm?” Nick asked.  
  
“Close to 3,000 acres,” Bonnie said. “Stu has bought up most of the farmland on this side of Bunnyburrow. We sell what we don’t eat ourselves in our market stands, and the rest gets bought wholesale by a big grocery chain.”  
  
“That's pretty impressive,” Nick said.  
  
“It is, considering that when we started 30 odd years ago we only had the 100 acres of Stu’s family farm,” Bonnie said.  
  
“So I take it most of what the farm makes gets reinvested back into the farm?” Nick asked.  
  
“Minus things like college funds for the older kits and whatever the family needs, yes.”  
  
“How many of your kits go to college?” Nick asked.  
  
“Almost all; most get a degree in agricultural science or botany. We do have a few lawyers, a couple of doctors, and more than a few registered nurses and midwives in the family as well.” Bonnie paused and looked up at him. “And now a pair of big-city detectives. That is, if you’re still a detective, or want to be.”  
  
“That's the rub, isn't it? Judy knows I'm not going to make her give up her dream,” Nick said quietly. “But it seems her dream is on hold until I feel up to going back.”  
  
“Maybe her dream changed?” Bonnie replied.  
  
“Could be, but how is that likely?” Nick asked. “She's wanted to be a cop since she was 9.”  
  
“Have you talked to her about it?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Not really; we discussed a few things when I was in the hospital, but…” Nick sighed. “Honestly? I'm kind of afraid to.”  
  
“Do you not trust your wife?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“I trust Judy with my life, and I just don't want to be responsible for crushing her dream,” Nick said.  
  
“So why are you a cop, Nick?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Your daughter believed I could be more than I was. Honestly, it was the first time someone truly believed that I could do more with my life than…” Nick paused.  
  
“Than what?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Nick shrugged and sighed. “I think I need to speak with my wife.”  
  
“Do you want me to go get her? She’s just down in the laundry…”  
  
Nick smiled. “No, it’s waited this long.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Good evening Zootopia, I’m Peter Moosebridge.” ZNN’s male moose anchor Peter Moosebridge said into the camera.  
  
“And I’m Fabienne Growley,” female snow leopard Fabienne Growley said into the camera a few seconds later.  
  
“The trial for Greg Leaperson started today, in which he pleaded not guilty to almost 1,000 counts of kit endangerment, kit trafficking, sexual exploitation of a kit, racketeering, and numerous other charges,” Peter Moosebridge reported.  
  
“District Attorney Luke Fisher is confident in the state's case against Mr. Leaperson and is pushing for a life sentence in the case,” Fabienne Growley said into the camera. “In other legal news, actor Jack Savage is expected to turn state's witness against Martin "The Stripe" Flannigan, in return for reduced sentencing for his role in the ambush of Detectives Nicholas Wilde and then Judith Hopps. Judith Hopps has since married her partner and changed her name to Wilde.”  
  
“Documents obtained by ZNN from the ZPD show that Judith Wilde has been placed on administrative suspension and her partner Nicholas Wilde has been placed on medical suspension since the attack. No information has been given to the condition of Nicholas Wilde other than he is recovering well at an undisclosed location,” Peter Moosebridge reported.  
  
“At this time, the Wildes are not listed as witnesses in either case against Jack Savage or Greg Leaperson. And we at ZNN wish to remind the mammals of Zootopia that all mammals are innocent until proven guilty,” Fabienne Growley finished.  
  
Martin muted the TV. “What does Savage know of our operation?”  
  
“Little, if anything; we only gave him money to make his movies. There’s little that he has that would directly link back to us,” his female rabbit advisor told him. “Well, other than he was bait.”  
  
Martin nodded. “And the Wildes?”  
  
“The last report we had is that they boarded a train for Bunnyburrow almost a month ago and haven't been seen in the city since,” said his woodchuck advisor and oldest friend Allen Monax.  
  
“Has the ZPD’s investigation into our drug operations in the city been sufficiently stalled?” Martin asked.  
  
“Yes. The pressure we have placed on Wolfson’s brother has been successful in stalling their investigation; they should be moved to another case soon,” Allen reported.  
  
“Good.”  
  
“What do you want to do about the Wildes?” The rabbit asked.  
  
“Leave them for now. If they start prodding our interests again, we’ll deal with them then,” Martin said.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Nick was down on all fours, watching over the cold snow covered expanse of the Hopps family yard. He cocked his head to one side as he heard the giggling underneath the snowpack. It would stop momentarily when he shifted his weight a bit, and then the crunching of snow being packed and shoved out of the way could be heard once again.  
  
Judy smiled as she watched Nick get ready to pounce and took a sip of her hot chocolate.  
  
Nick's hind legs stamped down on the snow to launch himself up into the air. Judy’s eyes tracked the graceful arc of her fox in flight as his body bent in on itself and promptly buried himself headfirst to his waist in the snow. The giggling shriek of the kit in Nick's paws as he pulled the kit out from under the snow let even the most casual of passerby know that he was only playing, regardless of his aggressive growls.  
  
The snow bank was littered here and there with craters marking the spots where Nick had pulled kits from under it. Judy remembered tunneling under the snow herself as a kit. The snows out here this far from the city could get pretty deep, and Nick was somewhat amazed when they had awoken a week earlier to almost three feet of snow on the ground.  
  
Judy smiled as Nick shook the snow from his face and went back on the prowl for another kit. The game had become a pastime for him and the kids, but it served to keep the number of kits asking for hot chocolate in the mid-afternoon to a manageable stream instead of a deluge. Bonnie and the kitchen staff had been grateful to the point that fresh chicken and even salmon had ended up on his plate more often than naught. Judy tried not to think about her family cooking meat for her predator husband, but someone in the burrow had taken it upon themselves to make sure that he was well fed.  
  
Judy watched and took another sip of her hot chocolate as Nick went back to hunting the kits. He was taking his time, even though she could hear them from where she sat.  
  
_His winter coat came in nicely,_ she thought as she watched him prowl in little more than a tracksuit. She watched as he prowled forward, oddly graceful. His back paws were stepping naturally into the print left behind by his forward. She watched as his head cocked to the side once again, his eyes like sights on the spot in the snow. _His dreams have lessened since getting Cotton out of the well,_ she thought as she watched him once again arc through the air and dive head first into the snow, this time coming up empty-pawed.  
  
Judy giggled at him as Nick shook the snow from his fur. The squeals of laughter from under the snow could be heard from even where she sat. _He meant to miss,_ she thought to herself. The mischievous grin that crossed his face only confirmed this idea.  
  
_The most surprising change has to have come from_ _Dad_ _,_ Judy thought to herself. _While_ _Dad_ _hasn’t been_ _entirely_ _relaxed around Nick,_ _he’s_ _at least trying,_ Judy smiled watching Nick arc through the air to end up face first into the snow once again. The screeching giggles from the bunny in her husband’s grasp echoed across the yard. _Most of the kits in the warren all smell of fox. Mom, Clara and Bella have all been pretty good about letting Nick help or play with the kits._  
  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick sighed as Judy ran the brush through the fur of his back. While his fur didn't really tangle, the brushing felt good, and it helped remove the loose strands for fur. His tail wagged back and forth behind him as Judy slowly ran the stiff bristled brush through his fur.  
  
“Did you have fun today?” Judy asked.  
  
“Playing with the kits?” Nick asked. “Yeah, that's always fun. Your mom tried to get me to change diapers today.”  
  
Judy giggled. “How did that go?”  
  
“Well, I tried, but changing a bunnies diaper is just too small for me to do,” Nick said.  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“Yeah, well, even with trying to use my claws to hook the tabs, all I did was manage to hook myself,” Nick explained.  
  
Judy giggled as she kept running the brush through his fur, imagining a small diaper stuck to his paw.  
  
“Yes, laugh it up, it was quite amusing,” Nick deadpanned.  
  
The fire crackled in the fireplace of the room. “What did you do today?” Nick asked.  
  
“This morning I helped dad and my brothers plow the access road for the farm,” Judy answered.  
  
“That sounds like fun,” Nick said.  
  
“Not really. The tractor got stuck twice and then broke down; we had to use the second one to pull the first out of the much and finish the job,” Judy explained. “Oh yeah, there was a reason I had to hit the shower before lunch today.”  
  
“Oh, so you were the dark brown rabbit with the beautiful eyes…”  
  
Judy blushed. “You saw me?”  
  
“No, but your brothers snapped pictures of you and tagged you on Muzzlebook,” Nick explained.  
  
“Oh, when I get my paws on them…” Judy started.  
  
“Honestly Carrots, it's no worse than the one your mom took last week of all the kits in the nursery asleep on my chest wrapped up in my tail,” Nick said.  
  
“Yeah, but that was less embarrassing, and cuter…” Judy started.  
  
“I don't know, seeing you covered in mud…” Nick started, and winced as she slugged him in the arm.  
  
“Spousal abuse, spousal abuse!” Nick called weakly.  
  
Judy shook her head. “Oh, hush; I haven't abused you since our last sparring session.”  
  
“Oh, yes, you pawed me my tail very well.”  
  
“Maybe we should spar again just as a reminder,” Judy said her tone mockingly playful.  
  
“Unfortunately, cute violent rabbits were not covered at the academy,” Nick said. “So I was not properly trained in how to deal with you.”  
  
“You weren't trained…” Judy started.  
  
“Nope, I remember having to deal with enormous criminal and psychopathic criminal and drug dealing criminal. But not the criminally cute,” Nick said softly.  
  
“And just how do you deal with the criminally cute, Detective Wilde?” Judy asked playfully.  
  
“Well Mrs. Wilde, it takes a certain skill set, one that I have honed over a long and illustrious career as a con fox,” Nick explained as he rolled over to look up at her. “But sadly, it only works once, as it takes a hustle so great, so grand that you steal the criminally cute’s heart and don't give it back.”  
  
“Oh really? Is THAT what you did now?” Judy asked as she looked down into his eyes.  
  
“You're saying it's not?” Nick asked as he looked up at her his eyes half-lidded.  
  
“Well Detective Wilde, I happen to remember that I was the one that proposed to you,” Judy said with a smirk.  
  
“You see Fluff, that’s half of the hustle. It has to be so great that the criminally cute falls so deep into it that she believes that she is taking the lead in the relationship, when in reality she’s playing right into my paws,” Nick said confidently.  
  
“Mmmmm.” Judy thought for a moment as she leaned in closer to him. “It's a good hustle then, but you said it only works once.”  
  
“Well, in the process of hustling you out of your heart I might have given you mine in exchange,” Nick said quietly.  
  
“Sounds now less like a hustle and more of a trade,” Judy replied softly.  
  
“Maybe it was,” Nick said as he pulled her down into the first kiss of the evening.  
  
Judy nuzzled into his chest. “Either way it was pretty smooth Slick, dealing with the criminally cute like that.”  
  
“So you admit you’re cute?” Nick asked his tail thumping against the bed.  
  
Judy was silent for a moment. “Only if you think so.”  
  
“Fluff, I don't just think you're cute. I know it,” Nick said with a smile on his face.  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick checked the time on his phone and silently slipped out of bed, making sure to cover Judy with the blanket. He quietly donned a pair of fleece pajama pants and made his way over to the door, slipping his phone into a pocket. Taking one last look at his slumbering wife he slipped out of the door nearly without a sound.  
  
_Most mammals,_ Nick thought to himself. _Are creatures of habit. Get up early, make it into work. Those that were habitually the first into the office were almost always the first into the office no matter what._  
  
Nick padded his way down the hall, his footfalls barely making a whisper. This was one of the few times of the day that the warren was ghostly silent. His sensitive ears could just make out the sounds of sleeping rabbits as he made his way up the stairs of the great room. He knew the halls soon would be full of the sounds of kits that got to go to school getting ready, and those of the homeschooled kits getting ready for the days lessons.  
  
Nick shook his head at the odd arrangement that his extended family somehow made work. _Kits competing to go to the school in town vs. having to stay at home,_ Nick thought to himself. _Some ways I can understand it as those that got to go into town for school had fewer chores,_ he thought as he slipped out onto the porch. The bitter cold of the predawn winter was hardly bothering him as he looked out over the snow.  
  
Nick pulled his phone out of his pocket and slowly scrolled through his extensive list of contacts until he found the one he wanted: Chief Buffalo Butt. He stared at the screen for several moments before he pressed the contact name, then the number for the Chief’s desk phone. Nick didn’t want Bogo to know that he had his work and personal cell numbers quite yet. _Plus, answering those questions would be uncomfortable,_ he thought.  
  
“Bogo,” came the gruff voice over the connection.  
  
“Chief, it’s Nick!” Nick answered. “Nick Wilde, you remember me.”  
  
“Unfortunately,” Bogo replied. “Isn’t it a little early for you, Wilde?”  
  
“Maybe farm life has rubbed off on me,” Nick answered.  
  
Bogo snorted into the line. “What do you want, Wilde?”  
  
“Well, now that you ask, I was wondering what the procedure for me to come back to work is?” Nick asked. “Not saying that I’m ready, but more curious than anything.”  
  
“You’ll need to be re-certified, since you’ve been out almost three months,” Bogo answered.  
  
“What about my wife?” Nick asked.  
  
“She’ll need to be recertified as well,” Bogo answered.  
  
“What will recertification take?” Nick asked.  
  
“Physical fitness test, a written test, a run through the obstacle course, and firearms recertification for you, and taser at the minimum for Judy,” Bogo answered. “And maybe a stress test of some sort for you.”  
  
“Got ya! Thank you, Chief. One last question….”Nick said. “What if only Judy comes back?”  
  
The silence that hung in the call spoke mounds to Nick. His ears started to fall flat.  
  
“She and I will have to discuss that in the event you decide not to rejoin the ZPD… and honestly, Wilde, I would hate to lose you,” Bogo said after a few moments.  
  
“Aww, I knew you cared, sir,” Nick said with a smugness that came through over the phone.  
  
“And if you tell anyone, they will never believe you,” Bogo said flatly. “Now, if there is nothing else?”  
  
“Nope. Thank you, Chief,” Nick said a little more carefully than he felt.  
  
Nick silently walked back into the warren after the chief hung up the phone. He stopped in the entry hall and stared at the picture of Judy getting her badge from Dawn Bellwether.  
  
_“Are you ready to make the world a better place Nick?”_ Judy asked in his head, not for the first time.  
  
The pride that Judy felt in the moment that the photograph was taken could almost be felt. He picked the photo up off of the wall and carried it with him back to the suite he shared with Judy. Sitting it down on the couch, he quietly rekindled the fire in the fireplace before sitting down on the sofa himself, looking once again at the photo in the dim firelight.  
  
He turned his head and looked behind him at his wife sleeping peacefully on the bed before looking back at the photo. It was the same pride she showed when she pinned his badge on him. He took a deep breath. _Am I ready?_ he thought before looking back at her one more time. “Yes, yes I am.”


	6. Episode 6: Twas the night before Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Caution this episode is known by the State of California to contain near toxic levels of fluff.
> 
> On a serious note though, Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate this time year. Seriously enjoy this chapter but enjoy your time with your loved ones as well. 
> 
> I would like to thank lilwashu76, seriously this lady works hard to make this look good and readable. Thank you!
> 
> But just as importantly I would like to thank my friends family and loved ones that has put up with me writing this over this last year.
> 
> But most importantly I would like to thank my wife who also painted the art for this chapter. Thank you, Babe, and thank you for believing in me.

 

 

# Episode 6: Twas the night before Christmas

Oh, the weather outside is frightful  
But the fire is so delightful  
And since we've no place to go  
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow  
Let it snow, let it snow ~ Dean Martin

“So, any Christmas traditions?”  Judy asked.

“Not really, Fluff,” Nick answered.

“Aww, come on, there must have been things you did with your family….” Judy trailed off. Then it dawned on her. Sweet cheese and crackers he lived on the streets. “I’m sorry Nick, it….”

Nick pressed the pad of his finger against her lips softly. “It's been a while since I celebrated Christmas; last year I spent it in my dorm room at the academy. I had dinner with Major and her family, but other than that?” Nick shook his head.

“Well, what about with your mom, before?” Judy asked.

Nick smiled warmly. “Mom would let me open my smallest gift. Most of the time it was pajamas, or maybe a book or puzzle.” His smile fell slightly, almost imperceptibly, but Judy had become a master at reading her husband’s ever so subtle cues to get a peek under the mask. “What about you, Fluff? Any special Christmas traditions?”

Judy shook her head. “Most of the gifts here are family oriented gifts, game consoles, etc; every few years or so mom and dad would buy us all new cheap laptops so we could keep up with our school work and browse the internet. But it was almost always the same model for every kit.”

Nick looked thoughtful. “Yeah, I can see how buying gifts for all your brothers and sisters could get a bit on the expensive side. Any special traditions?”

“We would set out milk and cookies for Santa Paws, who typically gave us the laptops or other expensive gifts, and have a large feast the day of,” Judy explained.

Nick’s smile grew mischievous as he leaned forward toward her. “Have you been a good bunny?”

Judy looked up at him, with the firelight reflected well in her eyes. The small Christmas tree behind her that he and Cotton had decorated framed her face. “I dunno Nick, have I been a good bunny?” Judy asked him with a smile on her face.

“The bestest bunny ever,” Nick said. “I couldn't ask for a better partner, and as such, I have a gift for you. You can have it tonight or tomorrow morning, your choice.”  

“But I didn’t get you anything! We agreed…” Judy started as his eyes went wide. He said partner not wife; could he want to…” she thought to herself.

“That we wouldn’t spend any money on each other while we were here and I have totally honored that; this gift I already had and has cost me nothing,” Nick vowed solemnly placing a paw over his heart.

Judy’s ears stood upright with excitement. “Well then Nick, let’s see what you got for me.” She looked at him skeptically. “But I swear, if you got me carrot-flavored edible underwear…”

Nick stood and walked over to the dresser. “Like I would go as low as getting you carrot-flavored ones, Fluff. I thought you knew me better than that.” He opened one of his drawers, pulled out a small box, and walked back over to her. “Besides, blueberry would taste far better with bunny.”

Judy’s eyes focused intently on the small box. It was maybe just a bit bigger than both of her paws, and the wrapping paper was printed with carrots wearing Santa Paws hats , with a bright blue bow on top. Judy’s eyes went wide as he dropped it into her paws; while it was small, it wasn't light.

“Nick?” Judy looked up at him, her eyes asking more of a question than her words.

“Go on and open it, but this gift comes with a question,” Nick explained.

“But we’re already married,” Judy said softly her paws shaking somewhat.

“This is almost as big of a question as that,” Nick said softly.

Judy tore the wrapping paper off to find a small grey box almost the same color as her fur.

“So,” Nick started as she removed the top of the box and looked inside. “Ready to go back to making the world a better place?”

Judy looked in the box, then up at Nick's face, then back into the box. Nestled in tissue paper that matched the color of her eyes were their badges. “You…” She paused and looked back up at him. “You really mean that?” she asked, as tears started to well up in her eyes.

“Of course, I do.” Nick looked deep into Judy's eyes. “I thought about going to work with Daisy full time, but, well, there’s no one else I’ll trust to keep you out of trouble.”

Judy dropped the box on the coffee table and tackled him into a tight hug. Nick wrapped his arms and tail around her. “So, good gift?” He asked.

Judy nodded against him, not trusting her voice. “I love you….” she whispered into his chest.

“I love you too, Fluff.” Nick sighed. “More than anything,” he said as he pressed his nose between her ears.

“Why?” Judy asked quietly.

“Why do I love you?” Nick grinned. “Well Carrots, it's like this…”

“No, no you dumb fox; why do you still want to be a cop?” Judy asked. “You could do almost anything you wanted; why be a cop?”

Nick sighed and looked into the fire. “Yeah, I could go back to doing music, or even real estate with Daisy,” Nick admitted. “But you know what those things don't have?”

“What?” Judy asked.

“You,” Nick admitted.  

“I would be right there…” Judy started.

“Doing what, Carrots?” Nick asked. “Being my assistant? A secretary at best? You wouldn't be happy doing that. Being a cop is all you have ever wanted to do.”

“I might still be able to be a cop….”

Nick shook his head. “Bogo made the terms of your suspension very clear to me last week when I called him.”

“Oh…” Judy said.

“So, unless you want to do something else….” Nick started.

“You’re right, being a cop is all I have ever wanted to do,” Judy said as she looked up at him. “But you're important too Nick, and…”

“I’m fine; my nightmares have been occurring with decreasing frequency, and honestly having you close by helps more than I can explain,” Nick said honestly.

“That's not what I meant, you dumb fox,” Judy told him with a huff. “I just don't want to be the cause of you getting hurt anymore.”

Nick looked down into her eyes just before she looked away.

“It's not that I don't want to be a cop anymore, Nick; it's just I'm not sure what I would do if I were to lose you,” Judy admitted. Her voice was saturated with emotion and her eyes were beginning to tear up.

“You're not going to lose me,” Nick said softly.

“But you could die!” Judy all but wailed as she buried her head against his chest.  

Nick softly stroked her ears and ran the tips of his claws along their outer edges as he let her cry. “Shhh, Fluff it's ok. We know the risks of the job…”

“It's just different now,” Judy said softl, her face pressed against his chest. “I have more to lose…”

“We both do,” Nick admitted softly. “My worst fear is something happening to you. But I won't take your dream away from you. Together, I think we can make it through anything.”

“Together…” Judy agreed softly. “Why do you still want to do this?”

Nick took a deep breath and looked into the fire. “I want to bring Martin to justice. He needs to pay; not just for what he did to us, but the kits and drugs and who knows what else.”

Judy nodded. “There’s no guarantee that Bogo will put us back on that case.”

“If he doesn’t, then we can still make a difference,” Nick said softly. “I honestly can't believe I’m having to talk you into this,” Nick said as he ran a paw over the back of his head.

Judy shook her head. “Maybe I made peace with being your secretary?”

“I don’t believe that for a moment. But…” Nick grinned mischievously.    

“But what?” Judy asked as she wiped her face with her paws, looking up at him.

“I’m told that the desk in my office is very well made and…sturdy,” Nick answered.

Judy blushed. “Sturdy, huh?”

“Very, and at least if I have to work late, you’ll be right there to keep me company,” Nick continued. “But…”

“But what?” Judy asked.

“I dunno, just feels like unfinished business…”

Judy looked at the fire quietly. He still wants to support your dream! Why are you not taking it? her inner voice screamed at her. “Nick?”

Nick ran the tips of his claws down her ears gently. “Yes?”

Judy shuddered slightly. “Let's make an agreement.”

“Ok.”

“If we get put back on Martin’s case, then we’ll take another look at our options when we’re done….”

Nick nodded. “Seems reasonable.”

“Or if one of us gets severely injured,” Judy looked up at him as she pulled back away from his chest and looked deep into his eyes. “Thank you. I’d love to go back to making the world a better place with you.”

Nick looked deep into her eyes just before he pressed his lips to hers. Judy’s eyes slipped closed as her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss. Their lips parted as their tongues slowly started to dance. A shiver went down her spine as her tongue gently caressed one of his canines before returning to the dance with his.

Judy broke the kiss as she turned and straddled his lap, then her arms once again wrapped around his neck and pulled him back into a deep passionate kiss. Her body relaxed as she felt his paws travel down her back and rest on the flare of hips. She moaned into his mouth as his paws traced the gentle curve of her jeans-covered butt. Her tail shook with the slowly building desire that his touch could easily stroke into a fire.

Judy broke the kiss again and looked up into his eyes as his fingertips brushed up under the back of her shirt against her bare fur. Her heart rate increased as he took hold of the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head as she lifted her arms up to accommodate him.

Nick dropped her shirt on the floor as her arms wrapped once again around his neck. He leaned in once again, kissing her as his paws rested on her hips, two of his fingers resting just above the waistband of her pants. His paws started to move up her back and sides as their tongues danced in her small mouth.

Judy moaned into his mouth as his paws reached her shoulders and his claws extended to rake ever so gently through her fur. The touch of his claws was fanning the flames of her desire for him higher. His paws moved back up her back and sides as his claws retracted.

Nick broke the kiss, his lips leaving a soft trail of kisses down the right side of her neck. Judy moaned softly as she tilted her head back and to the side, giving him access and baring her throat to him. He grazed his canines gently through the fur of her neck as his palms moved back up her sides.

Judy sighed softly as his thumbs flicked across her nipples and his teeth combed through the fur on the side of her neck. His claws extended as his thumbs traced the sensitive undersides of her breasts before his paws slowly traveled back down her body. His jaws opened and closed firmly against the right side crook of her shoulder. The tips of his teeth pressed firmly against her silky smooth skin.

Judy's paws slowly moved up the back of his head and took a hold of the fur behind his ears, holding him in place. She whimpered “Nick,”  as he opened his jaws and turned his head slightly. She had experienced a lot of things, but her mind blanked somewhat as he closed his jaws carefully around her throat. His paws moved down and gripped the firm cheeks of her butt through the seat of her jeans. She swallowed nervously as she felt his tongue lash against her throat. The rumbling growl that reverberated through her mind caused her thighs to clamp around his as he stoked the flames of her passion ever higher.

Nick let go of her neck and ran the tip of his tongue back up the underside of her throat before pressing his lips to hers once more, pushing his tongue into her mouth.  Their tongues danced as she ground her hips down, suddenly more desperate for stimulation.

He broke the kiss and smiled into her eyes. “Too much?” he asked slyly.

“Not enough…” she answered, her voice husky and low. Her eyes went wide as he popped the snap of her pants open and hooked the tab of her zipper with the thumb of his right paw.  Judy looked down between them as his thumb slowly lowered the zipper of her pants, then looked back up into his eyes.

Nick smiled at her and slowly licked his lips, the intense look in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine.

“Hungry, Nick?” Judy asked shyly.

“Starving.”

Judy wiggled her hips slightly in his lap, her eyes becoming half-lidded when his thumbs slowly spread the fly of her pants open. She moaned as the tips of his claws raked through the fur of her pubic bone. “What do you want to eat?” she asked huskily.

Judy let out a startled “eep,” as his grip tightened on her hips and he turned and dumped her onto her back on the couch. Her eyes stared up at him as he took on a predatory gleam that let her know in unspoken words what he was going to eat.

Nick dipped his head, his teeth raking through the fur of her neck as he slowly started to move down her lean and fit body. She moaned as his mouth traveled down slowly, his teeth nipping her lightly here and there. She gasped slightly as he caught her left nipple between his teeth and gently flicked the tip of it with his tongue.

Judy moaned, her paws once again moving toward his ears as her back arched up off of the couch, pressing her breast into his muzzle. Nick opened his mouth, releasing the nipple letting his fang slide through her fur slowly. His eyes flicked up to her face as he moved over to her other breast. His tail flicked back and forth behind him and thumped periodically against the back of the couch.

Judy’s grip tightened on the fur behind his ears and pulled more incessantly, trying to get his muzzle to go lower as he tormented her. Judy looked down at him, groaning in frustration as he nestled his muzzle between her breasts. She looked down at him, her chest pinned to the couch by the weight of his head as he reached back and took hold of her wrists and slowly moved them over her head.

Judy’s eyes closed as he pinned her paws over her head with one of his own. She struggled just a bit testing him knowing that if she really needed to she could escape his grasp but not really wanting or needing to. The struggle was more for show, for which of them it was a show for neither could answer.

“Nick….” she hissed as he nipped her between her breasts, starting his way back down her small, lithe body. He could feel her abs and core flex as he pressed his lips against her stomach. She pulled feebly at her paws again before lifting her head to look down at her fox his nose pressed to the fur of her pubic bone his eyes locked on hers his mischievous grin splitting his muzzle.

Judy blushed, knowing he could smell her desire for him, her excitement. She gasped loudly as his tongue flicked just above her slit.

“Mmmm,” came his voice in a low, almost rumbling, growl, “Smells like my snack is ready for me.” His eyes stayed locked on hers. He could hear her heartbeat thundering in her chest as his free paw reached under her; Judy lifted her hips to accommodate his massive paw. She could feel the tips of his claws as he hooked the back of her pants and panties.

Judy lifted her legs to help him remove her pants and groaned in frustration as he slowly pulled them down off of her tail and the swell of her hips. Nick smiled down at her as his paw pulled her pants down her thighs. When her pants reached her ankles instead of pulling them off Nick used them as leverage and pushed her ankles back toward her shoulders.

Judy trembled as he looked down over her exposed sex. Her tail twitched eagerly in anticipation. She could feel his hot breath wash over her exposed nether lips. She gasped in surprise as she felt him nip her ever so slightly before his tongue ran from her entrance to her clit, parting the wet folds of her pussy for the first time.

Judy moaned loudly with the contact of his tongue; the tip of it kept flicking lightly against her clit, teasing her as he held her down. She tried to lift her hips up to his mouth but found it hard with the way he had her bent double and held down. She groaned, frustrated as his tongue moved down to flick lightly at her entrance, stoking the flames of her passion ever higher.

Nick thrust his tongue deep into her all at once, pressing his upper jaws against her thighs and pubic mound, his lower jaw trapping her tail as his tongue worked its way into her body.

Judy’s eyes shot wide open at the sudden and forceful intrusion into her body. All she could see was the grey of her thighs just before her eyes rolled back into her head. Her orgasm was building quickly as his tongue corkscrewed and twisted inside of her depths.

Nick growled; he could feel her inner walls contract around his tongue, her mews and moans telling him that she was close.

“Gods…Nick…”Judy moaned as his growl reverberated throughout her body and her orgasm crashed over her. His long vulpine tongue kept moving, twisting, seeming to lick her everywhere at once.

Nick pulled back and let go of her wrists and pants; placing both paws on her thighs, he kept her legs pushed back and used his thumbs to gently spread the delicate folds of her pussy. Judy held her paws over her head, her chest heaving as she attempted to regain her breath.  She blushed under her fur and up the inner part of her ears as she felt Nick spread her folds, and them moaned as his tongue once again flicked across her clit.

Judy moaned loudly, her paws coming up and pulling her pants the rest of the way off, dropping them onto the floor beside the couch. Her breathing was ragged as he plunged his tongue back into her; she spread her thighs slightly looking into his eyes as his tongue twisted and turned inside of her.

Nick watched as Judy’s beautiful amethyst eyes rolled back into her head once again, her paws gripped his as her body shook with her release. He pulled back somewhat, his tongue lapping at her clit and slowly letting her ride out the waves of her orgasm. His foxhood strained in his pants, his need for her becoming unbearable.

Judy slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him; she could see the hunger and want clearly displayed in his eyes. She took a hold of his paws and pulled them gently off of her thighs as she sat up and looked at the sizable tent in his pants. She smiled and looked up into his eyes as she reached for his belt. “Got something in here for me Slick?” she asked as she unbuckled his belt and unfastened his pants.

Nick was about to say something when Judy rubbed his length through his boxers and caused whatever he was about to say to be lost in a low, slow groan.

“Bunny got your tongue, Slick?” Judy asked as she squeezed him gently.

Nick didn’t answer verbally, he growled low and threatening his pupils started to become pointed. He began to move forward but was stopped by a gently placed paw in the center of his chest.

“Ah, ah, ah, don’t you worry a bit there Slick Nick, the bunny wants far more than just your tongue,” Judy said seductively as she pushed him back, so he settled on the couch, her paw still holding his foxhood through his boxers.  She could feel his heartbeat through the throbbing of his foxhood in her paw. Her eyes roamed over him slowly, his shirt was rumpled and disheveled.

Judy looked down at his crotch. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her, maybe more so; since being with him, her toys paled in comparison to their times together. Letting go of his foxhood, she reached up and took a hold of his pants and boxers on either side of his hips and started to tug them down. Nick lifted his hips and smiled as Judy’s eyes locked onto the hardened length of his cock.

Nick watched as Judy swung her leg over his lap, her knees pressed into the couch on either side of his. He grabbed her hips as her paw once again wrapped around the hard length of his cock. She stroked him slowly, watching his eyes as she felt his paws start to grip her hips harder.

Judy smiled at him, knowing he was on the ragged edge of his self-control. Knowing that she could only poke this hornet's nest a few times before she got stung and relished in dancing on the thin line of his control. Not that he would ever hurt me, she thought to herself as she moved her paw slowly up and down his length.   

As he started to growl once again, Judy lifted herself up, positioned the tip of his foxhood at her entrance, and slowly lowered herself down on it. Nick's growl quickly turned from threatening to a low groan of pleasure. His snout pressed against the crook of her neck as he took in her scent.

Judy moaned as she placed her paws on his chest to steady herself and started to ride him slowly, her thighs lifting herself up and then sliding back down the length of his cock.  She moaned as she felt him pull her down by her hips and his hips thrust up to meet her each time. His teeth grazed through her fur his breath becoming ragged. She could almost feel his heart thundering in his chest underneath her paws as his need for her increased. She could feel his claws press into her hips as he pulled her down for each thrust.

Judy could feel her orgasm building as she felt Nick start to grind himself into her more. He whimpered frustratedly against her neck. His thrusts were becoming more and more urgent as her paws tightened on his shirt possibly pulling some of his winter coat underneath it.  She could tell he was close as the well of pleasure in her stomach overflowed and her pussy clamped down hard on his thrusting cock.

Nick whined as he held her still and kept thrusting hard up into her, the angle wrong to be able to get his knot up inside of her. His feet slipped on the floor as he kept thrusting hard into her body. He could hear her moans as she buried her face in his chest.

Then Judy’s eyes shot open in surprise as he lifted her off of him just long enough to spin her around and bend her forward slightly. Her paws grabbed his knees to keep from falling forward off of the couch. She moaned loudly as his cock slammed back into her body and his knot pressed tightly against the entrance of her pussy. His jaws closed tightly on the nape of her neck as he kept thrusting up into her; with each thrust his swollen knot pressed just a bit farther into her, forcing her to accept him.

Judy’s orgasm from the rough treatment washed over her like a tidal wave the moment his knot popped roughly into her pussy. Her paws gripped his knees ever tighter as her body convulsed around him, milking his hot seed into her ever eager body. She could feel the low growl that reverberated through her neck and into her skull. His jaws kept a firm hold on her neck as his cock pulsed deep inside of her, his growl slowly turning into a groan.

Nick slowly released his hold on her neck and his paws massaged her hips gently. “Sorry.” He said softly as his head flopped back onto the back of the couch.

Judy’s chest heaved as she leaned back against him and pulled his large paws up to rest on her stomach, her tail twitched enticingly between them. “Gods…. That was…. Awesome.” Judy said after a few moments.

“I wasn’t too…” Nick started.

“Rough?” Judy asked.

“Yeah.”

“I liked it when you let loose at the end…” Judy smiled as she wiggled her hips sightly. “It was…”

Nick smiled as he looked up at the stucco ceiling. “I get the idea…”

“You won't break me, Nick,” Judy said softly as her paws traced over his knuckles.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Merry Christmas Zootopia, I’m Peter Moosebridge.” Said ZNN Moose anchor with Christmas lights draped around his antlers and a Santa Paws hat on his head.

“And I'm Fabienne Growley. TTonight, we track Santa Paws across the globe, so all the good little boys and girls better be in bed,” said Fabienne Growley, dressed in a festive red dress with white faux fur lining the cuffs and collar. She also had a Santa Paws hat perched between her ears.

“But before we check in with Chuck for our Santa paws update, we will cover the news.” Peter Moosebridge said into the camera.

“Awww!” said a bunch of kits watching the TV.

“The trial of Greg Leaperson has come to an end after just over a month of evidence being provided and testimony being given. Greg Leaperson has been found guilty on all counts unanimously.  Judge Taylor Skyclaw has set sentencing for 12 January 2018. District Attorney Luke Fisher is pushing for consecutive sentencing for the over 700 accounts of kit trafficking and a slew of other charges which would equal out to a more than-life sentence.”  Fabienne Growley reported.

“Zooney Entertainment has announced that it has cut all ties with Jack Savage, the actor who was the titular star of the Savage Sea’s action spy films. They have announced that relatively unknown actor Daniel Keg will pick up the role for the 2020 film Skyfall. It is unknown at this time if actress Skye Lukraak will reprise her role in the film,” Peter Moosebridge reported.

“The trial of Jack Savage is scheduled to begin sometime next month after a competency hearing decided that Mr. Savage is aware of the consequences of his actions. The Wildes have been unavailable to comment on the case,”  Fabienne Growley said into the camera.

“Now we turn to Chuck with the weather and our Santa Paws update!” Peter Moosebridge said into the camera.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy moaned softly in her sleep as the long loving laps of Nick's tongue bathed a spot behind her right ear. Since the first day of winter a few days ago, he had become even more physically affectionate with her. She wasn't overly sure that she minded, but he had chosen some odd times to let his instincts run wild. This just so happened to be one of those times.  
Judy turned her head and moaned against the bed as she slowly became more and more aware. Her body tensed reflexively and then relaxed as it felt like his paws were everywhere at once.

“Nick,” Judy said, somewhere between a hiss and a moan as his tongue started to work the area behind her left ear. She shuddered slightly as she felt his teeth rake through her fur. “Stop please….”

Judy’s body seemingly melted into him his paws pulled her back against his chest as his body wrapped even tighter around her. I'm not even sure of when we moved from the couch last night to the bed, she thought to herself. She could feel his nose nestle between her ears as he held her.

“Good morning,” Nick purred into her ear. His paws wrapped around her stomach and pulled her back against him. The fire crackled in the fireplace as she slowly woke up. The small tree in the corner lit up with multi-colored lights.

“Morning,” she whispered sleepily. “What time is it?”

“Oh, just after 7,” Nick answered smoothly.

“How long have you been up?”

“A bit,” he answered. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” Judy replied with a smile.

“Your mom knocked a bit ago for us to start getting up….” He kissed her softly between her ears. “Something about breakfast and watching the kits open their gifts.”

Judy nodded sleepily. “Just a few more minutes,” she mumbled as she rolled over and buried her face into the fur of his chest. Nick softly stroked her ears, letting her relax in his arms.

“Thank you,” he whispered softly.

Judy’s ears perked up a bit at his whisper. “For?” she mumbled.

Nick didn’t answer and just kissed her between the ears. “Merry Christmas, Judy,” he said softly.

“Merry Christmas, Nick.” The light knock at their door brought her few more minutes of peace to an end.

“Uncle Nick, Aunt Judy come quick, Santa Paws came!” They could hear Cotton's rather exuberant call from the hall.

“Well, I guess there go your few more minutes…” Nick said with a smile.

Judy stretched. “Yeah….”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy watched as her husband lost again at Meowrio Kart to some of the younger kits. She shook her head at his antics as they tried to “teach” him how to play the game and he always ended up taking out one of the older kits so the younger ones could have a chance at winning as well. She smiled as Nick shot her a wink and mouthed “It's a hustle,”  at her.

“I’m going to be in the kitchen helping Mom. Remember, you need to help make the potato dish in a bit,” Judy told him.

Nick smiled and looked over his shoulder at Judy from where he sat on the floor with the kits and smiled. “Yeah, I'll be there in a few, Fluff.”

“I’m sure you still have time, just don't forget,” Judy called as she walked out of one of the many game rooms of the warren.

"So what did he give you for Christmas?" came the question as soon as Judy entered the kitchen.

"We already know what he gave her; the more important question is, what did she give him?" answered one of her sisters who was chopping carrots.

"Oh, we already know that too!" came the call from one of her brothers stirring a pot.

"Yeah, he was growling so loud last night that I thought he was going to come through the wall and eat us!" answered her first sister.

"More like you were hoping he would eat you," Bonnie said as she looked up at Judy. “I'm not going to ask if you had a pleasant night Jude; maybe it was a good thing that Nick got you guys a hotel room for your first night as a married couple.”

Judy blushed, her mouth hanging open slightly as her inner ears turned bright red. “MOM!”

“Oooo, do you think their wedding night was their first time together?” asked the first bunny.

“Of course not, she’s a rabbit; she tested the waters so to speak,” said her brother.

“Well, evidently he has a tongue as long as her forearm and knows how to use it,” Bonnie informed them.

“MOOOOM!” Judy exclaimed.

“Relax Judes, it's not like we gave you a standing ovation last night,” said her sister.

“Speak for yourself! I was clapping for him; who knew a fox could get a bunny to moan that loud?” said her brother.

“I guess we should take it his gift was well received? Are you going to go back to being a cop?” Bonnie asked.

Judy blushed and hid her face in her paws. “Yes, Mom, we’re going to go back to being cops.”

Bonnie took a deep breath and sighed. “You don't have to you know,” she said after a few moments.

Judy looked at her mother. “It’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was 9.”

“I know that Judes…..” Bonnie started.

“But what, Mom? I should settle? Settle hard?” Judy asked a bit more bite in her voice than she intended.

“I wouldn’t call what you did last night settling, Judes.” Her sister quipped.

“I know dear, that you always wanted to make the world a better place, but…” Bonnie started. “Did you ever think there might be more than one way to do that?”

“Mom, I have a degree in criminal justice; there are very few career paths open for me with that….” Judy started.

“Ever think of maybe going back to school then?” her brother asked.

“Or what does the property management company do?” Bonnie asked.

“He has a business and is a cop and somehow keeps up with Judes?” Her sister asked. “Just what on earth are you feeding that fox?”

“He does the cooking,” Bonnie said.

“WHAT!?! Peter could burn water…” her sister started to look like she was rethinking her life's choices.

“I don’t know much about it….” Judy admitted. “But I don't want to be some secretary!”

Judy could hear her brother and sister snicker. “He would need one very sturdy desk.” Her sister said.

“Judes your telling me that Nick would make you a secretary?” Bonnie asked.  

Judy shrugged. “We kind of discussed it last night, and I…”

“Did you leave it open that you would be interested in something else?” Bonnie asked.

“No but…”

“I don’t think that Nick would make you do that,” Bonnie said flatly. “Maybe you should look into it more?”

“Maybe….”

“She found a fox that cooks and only thing Peter is good at is farming….” her sister ruminated.

“Well, at least Peter doesn't eat meat…” Her brother started.

“I don’t think that would be a problem…” Her sister said.

“Of course you would think that; you must be as crazy as Judes over there, seeing as you’ve been cooking for him for the past month!” her brother exclaimed.

Judy’s ears perked up a bit and turned to look at her sister.

“Oh, relax, Judes I don’t think Tammy over there is putting moves on your fox,” Bonnie said. “Besides, he seems pretty committed to you.”

Tammy looked away nervously. “What he needs to eat to…”

Judy’s ears stood straight up.

“Judith, Tammy isn't trying to steal your husband; besides, another rabbit could walk by him nude, but all he would see is you,” Bonnie said. “So relax.”

“Mom it's not that, its just that canine culture is strange in regards to food….” Judy tried to explain.

“Oh?” Bonnie said.

“Yeah, Nick explained to me that it could be interpreted that I can't care for him, or maybe it’s only that way in regards to males to females,” Judy explained.

“Well, do you know how to cook chicken?” Tammy asked.

“No, Nick does all the cooking.”

“Well then,” Tammy smiled. “I think it's time for you to learn.”

Bonnie and her brother groaned. “Tammy, you're forgetting while Peter might be able to burn water, Judy somehow got water to combust.” Her brother chimed in.  

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy’s nose twitched as she looked at the plate of food in her paws. It took her two tries to get the chicken breast to come out as anything other than a charred lump. The various vegetable dishes had been made by other members of her family, and of course Nick’s potato and cheese casserole.  Sweet cheese and crackers! I married him, yet I'm nervous about putting a plate of food that I helped make in front of him, She thought to herself. Judy carefully sat the plate of food in front of Nick, almost as if it was an offering to some long forgotten deity.

Nick smiled as he looked to the plate then up to Judy. “Thanks, Fluff!”

Judy smiled nervously. “Ummm, try the chicken.” Her nose twitched nervously.

Nick eyed the chicken and picked up his fork and knife and cut off a bite. His knife cut it easily enough, and it felt tender and looked cooked all the way through. A bit dry; could have used a bit more butter while cooking, but not bad. Besides,that's what gravy is for. He thought to himself as he looked at Judy and her twitching nose.

She's nervous… The thought entered his mind as he looked from her down to his plate then back again. She cooked it.

“It’s good. You did a good job, Fluff, thank you,” Nick said after he swallowed the bite of chicken.

Judy smiled her eyes almost visibly brightened. “How did you know I cooked…”

“Well, I didn’t until you just confirmed it,” Nick answered her unfinished question.

Judy smiled. “I'll be back, Slick.”

Nick watched Judy as she disappeared back into the kitchen and he dug into his meal. He could feel some of the holdout rabbits eyes on him as he ate, but he chose to ignore them.

“Don’t forget Nick, we have to give Cotton her gift this evening,” Judy said as she sat down beside him with her own plate of food.

“Think she'll like it?” Nick asked.

“Of course she will. You can't go wrong giving a bunny stuffies,” Judy answered. “Your choice of gifts for her now makes more sense though.”

Nick smiled slyly. “Oh?”

Judy nodded. “So just how long have you been thinking about going back to work?”

“Off and on since your mom hustled me into helping in the nursery,” Nick admitted.

“That long?” Judy asked. “Sweet cheese and crackers Nick, that was almost a month ago!”

Nick nodded as he continued to eat his food. “This chicken is really good with the gravy Fluff, you did a good job,” he said between mouthfuls. “So, any reason you took over making my dinner?” Nick asked as he watched her out of the corner of his eye.

Judy paused and looked at her food. “I didn’t like that my sister may have been trying to move in on you.” She looked up at him. “You did say that food was essential to your culture.”

Nick smiled as he studied her. “That it is, let me ask you this: If a rabbit gives another rabbit food, what does it mean?”

Judy looked at him. “Nothing typically.”

Nick smiled. “Your sister somehow learned to cook a good filet of salmon and chicken breast, so I would not be opposed to you learning how if you wanted to. But don’t do it if you think she's trying to make a move on me, because as I told you before Fluff, I'm not interested in them like that, only you.”

“So you’re saying it doesn't mean anything because she's a rabbit?” Judy asked.

Nick slowly chewed his bite of chicken as he studied Judy’s body language for a moment. Her ears upright, her eyes bright, and her small pink nose twitching ever so subtly.  Swallowing his food, he answered her directly. “That, and she's now family.”

“Oh,” Judy said quietly. “Was the chicken truly good?”

“It was a tad dry, but that's what gravy is for, Fluff. It had an excellent flavor though.”

“Had?” Judy asked.

“Had, because I had a chicken breast on my plate, and now it’s gone because I ate it,” Nick said looking her right into the eyes.

“So you wouldn't mind if I kept having Tammy teach me?” Judy asked.

Nick smiled at her. “Is that who’s been making my meals?”

Judy nodded. “Yeah.”

“Well then go forth and learn, Fluff, but remember we’re heading home in a few days and we’ll have to meet with Chief Buffalo Butt.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Uncle Nick!” Cotton squealed as she tore into Nick and Judy's room and all but pounced on the fox. Judy smiled from the small kitchen area as she finished making her and Nick a cup of hot chocolate.

“Hey there Cotton Ball, did you have a good Christmas?” Nick asked as he hugged the small bunny.

Cotton nodded enthusiastically. “Got to play Meowrio Kart, and Santa Paws brought me a tablet and there was sooooo much food.” Cotton snuggled into Nick's arms. “What about you Uncle Nick, did you have a good Christmas?”

Nick smiled at Judy as she sat his cup of hot chocolate in front of him, “The best, Cotton Ball.”

“Did Santa Paws give you anything good?” Cotton asked looking up at him.

“Santa Paws gave me my gift months ago Cotton Ball,” Nick said softly as he looked down at the little bunny.

“Oooooh, what did he give you? Did you see him? Is he really a polar bear like on TV?” Cotton rapid fired questions at him. “If he's a polar bear then how does he fit in the warren? Does his sleigh really fly?”

“No, I didn’t see him; you see, he had a special helper give me my gift,” Nick tried to explain.

“Ooooh, I bet it was pie!” Cotton cut him off. “You really like pie, right Uncle Nick?” She looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

“I love pie, especially blueberry pie, but no, he didn’t give me a pie. He gave me something far more special,” Nick said softly.

“Really?” Cotton asked. “What was it?”

Nick smiled. “I got a family.”

“Uncle Nick, you didn’t have a family?” Cotton asked, her voice somewhat wavy.

Nick shook his head. “Not close family; I have friends that are pretty close to being family. But not until your aunt married me did I have any family of my own.”

Cotton held onto him her eyes glazed over with tears. “We’re your family now?”

“Yes, yes you are,” Nick said softly as he smoothed back the little bunny’s ears gently. He smiled as he felt Judy lift his arm and lean against the side of his chest as well.

“That is a good gift Slick,” Judy said softly.

Cotton looked thoughtful as she looked between Judy and Nick. “Does that make Aunt Judy Santa Paws?” she asked in a near whisper.

Nick smiled down at Judy. “No, but I think this year Judy was one of Santa Paw’s special helpers.”

“Oh….” Cotton looked mildly disappointed. “Did you get to meet Santa Paws?” she asked, looking up at Judy with big brown hopeful eyes.

“Did I?” Judy asked. “No, no I did not, but he sent me this message about a fox who was all alone and needed me,” Judy said with a smile. “And lo and behold it was none other than my best friend and partner Nick.”

“Gramma says that the best friends make the best husbands…” Cotton said as Nick wrapped his tail around the two bunnies.

“So they do Cotton Ball,” Nick said softly.

Judy smiled up at him. “Glad you agree as well Slick.”

“Aunt Judy?”

“Yes, Cotton?” Judy asked, looking down to the bunny in her husband's lap.

“Uncle Nick was your best friend?”

Judy smiled. “I would go as far as to say he still is, that and so much more, Cotton.”

“I have learned, Cotton, that this time of year it isn't about what you get, it's about who you spend it with. Family and the memories that you make with them are worth far more than all the stuff that Santa Paws could ever give you,” Nick explained softly. “And family isn’t always the people tied to you by blood.”

Cotton nodded. “But presents are good too.”

Nick and Judy both chuckled. “Speaking of presents, I think Santa Paws, or maybe Santa Nick, has one under our tree for you,” Judy told the young bunny.

Cotton's eyes light up. “Really, for me?”

Judy nodded. “Just for you.”

Cotton squirmed as she tried to look over at the tree and the single present under it while maintaining contact with Nick.

Nick smiled down at the bunny seeing she was apparently torn between Judy and him and the gift. “Go on, it's not like we’re going anywhere tonight,” Nick said gently.

Cotton hopped down, scrambled across the living space to the tree, and got the box that was almost as large as she was. They watched as Cotton tugged the box out from under the tree.

“Think you might have overdone it, Slick? Judy asked.

“Mmmmm, nope,” Nick answered with a smug grin on his face. He pulled Judy in closer and stretched out his legs while watching his niece.  She giggled at him and continued to watch as wrapping paper started to fly off of the box in a small barely contained snowstorm of paper. “Besides, she'll probably have more fun with the box than what's inside of it anyway,” Nick commented as she got the last of the wrapping paper off of the plain brown box.

“You so sure about that?” Judy asked.

Nick just shrugged. “I thought it was the law of kits or something; no matter how awesome the gift, the box is always better?”

Judy giggled slightly. “Not saying it isn’t; my brothers and I had some fun with the boxes when we were kits….”

“So you were a tom kit then, too, eh?” Nick grinned down at her.

“Oh, you’ve never complained in the past.”

“Who says I'm complaining?” Nick asked as he kissed her between the ears.

Judy smiled at him and turned her attention back to Cotton, who had just gotten the box open and had fallen inside to a squeal of laughter, excitement, and joy. Nick chuckled as the squeal of “Aww,” could be heard from inside of the box.

“So, think she likes it?” Nick asked with a smug smile on his face as Cotton tipped the box over, hugging a rather large stuffed fox.

“I told you Slick, you can't go wrong getting a bunny a stuffie, but did you have to get one so large?” Judy answered him. “I mean look at the thing; it's almost as large as she is!” Judy frowned as she studied the stuffy. “Nick, is that…”

“The fur from last year's winter coat?” Nick asked with a sly smile on his face. “Maybe.”

“How, or where would you get such a thing made?” She asked.

“Oh, I know a mammal that makes them mostly for the military to help spouses and kits deal with separation anxiety,” Nick said solemnly. “There are other uses as well.”

“Other uses?” Judy asked as she got up and walked over to where Cotton laid on the floor hugging the stuffie.

“Grieving, Fluff,” Nick answered.

“But how….” Judy started to ask.

“You can thank my mom for it. She made a pretty big deal out of saving most of the sheddings from my winter coat after dad died. I hadn’t done it for years but last year……” Nick shrugged.

Judy knelt down and ran her fingers through the stuffed fox’s fur and felt the familiar texture of her fox’s fur. It felt luxurious and full, and even now she realized it gave off a certain amount of heat.

“Isn’t it the greatest Aunt Judy?” Cotton asked as she looked up from her place on the floor. “It even smells like Uncle Nick!”

“Nick….” Judy started as she turned and looked at him.

“It's fine Fluff; besides she takes after you a lot, and will need a fox around to keep her out of trouble,” Nick said with a wink.

Judy looked back down at the stuffed fox. “He'll need a name…”

“Oh?” Asked Nick.

“Well, all good guardian stuffies have names,” Judy explained.

“Oh, and what was yours named?” Nick asked.

“She had Peter, who she gave to me when she moved to the city,” Cotton spoke up.

“Peter, huh?” Nick asked.

“Well, I might have had a thing for the Peter Cottontail movie as a kit,” Judy admitted.

“Well then, he’ll need an appropriately foxy name then,” Nick said.

“How about Todd?” Cotton asked, still hugging the faux fox to her chest.

Judy shook her head as she tried to remember a conversation with Nick. “What was the name of that movie you said you liked as a kit?” Judy asked Nick.

“Robin Hood.” Nick answered, “We still need to sit down and watch that.”

“Yes, that's it! Robin!” Judy exclaimed. “I’ll watch Robin Hood with you if you'll sit down and watch Peter Cottontail.”

Cotton looked at her new stuffy thoughtfully. “He does look like a Robin.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Don’t go, Uncle Nick!” cried Cotton on the platform as they waited for the 12:45 Zootopia Express. “Who’s gonna hunt us in the snow?”

Nick looked down at the bunny whose arms wrapped tightly around his thigh. His ears laid back as he softly stroked the back of her head. “It’ll be ok, Cotton Ball; you have Robin, and Aunt Judy and I will be back to visit as soon as we can.”

“Prowmiss?” Cotton asked as she looked up at him.

Nick reached down and picked Cotton up. “I promise, Sweetheart, we’ll be back before you know it. Now dry up those tears, and make sure you give Robin extra hugs tonight ok?”

“Ok…” Cotton sniffed and wrapped her arms around Nick's neck as best as she could. “I love you, Uncle Nick.”

Nick sighed softly as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. “I love you too, Cotton Ball.”

Judy smiled up at the two and slowly pulled out her phone to snap a quick picture of her husband and niece. She nodded at her mom, who mouthed that she wanted a copy.  

“I'm going to miss you, Cotton Ball,” Nick whispered into the little bunny’s ears.

“I’m gonna miss you too, Uncle Nick.” Cotton sniffed. “But I have Robin to keep me out of trouble.”

“And I have Judy.”

“Hmmph,” Stu snorted. While Nick and Stu had started to get along a bit more since Nick rescued Cotton from the well, in Stu’s eyes, Nick was still the intruder into their family. The hostility had died down a bit, though But I feel Stu still doesn’t trust me, Nick thought to himself.

Nick stroked Cotton's back gently, his eyes turning away from Stu. “Hey Cotton Ball, I’ll make you another promise, ok?”

“What?” Cotton asked her ears perking up a bit.

“You got a new tablet for Christmas, right?” Nick asked.

Cotton nodded. “I did.”

“It's an iCarrot tablet, right?”

“Yeah….” Cotton answered. “It's for school work….”

“Well, I bet your grandma would let you MuzzleTime us on it.”

Cotton's ears stood straight up. “Really?” she asked, her excitement in her voice.

“Yeah, really,” Nick told her, looking over her shoulder at Bonnie. Bonnie nodded her head with a smile, while Stu glared daggers at him.

“Gramma?” Cotton asked as she turned to look at Bonnie while still being held by Nick. “CanIMuzzleTimewithUncleNick, pwease, pwease, pwease, pease, pwease, please?” Cotton pause and added. “Oh and Aunt Judy too?”

Judy snickered as she looked up at Nick. “Seems you have a fan there Slick I used to be her favorite, and then you waltzed in here with your stuffed foxes and cake,” Judy said in mock anger.

Nick's ears pinned back and he smiled down at Judy. “It’s not my fault. I’m just that lovable of a fox.”

“Well, I think it's a great idea,” Bonnie said happily. “She might even be able to come to visit you guys in the city. You’ll need to come to pick her up of course…”

“Now just wait a second, Bon…” Stu started.

“Oh don't worry Stu, she’d be perfectly safe with them. You’ve seen how Nick dotes on her,” Bonnie cut him off. “And if she's not safe with a pair of detectives, then who would she be safe with?”

“Yay!” Cotton shouted, “We can have tea times, story times, and I can tell you about the adventures that me and Robin go on….”

Nick smiled at Cotton, listening to her rattle on. His eyes tracked from Cotton to Judy, noticing her eyes soften as she watched him with Cotton. Her paws rubbed lightly over her stomach.

“Now arriving, the Zootopia Express” came the announcement over the loudspeaker.

“Looks like it's time to go, Slick,” Judy said.

“Yep, time to put Cotton down. You two take care of yourselves, ya hear?” Stu said. Nick couldn’t help but hear the slight emphasis on the word down.

Nick hugged Cotton one more time before he sat her back down onto her feet. “Be good Cotton Ball, and watch after Robin.”

“I will, Uncle Nick! I love you,” Cotton said she walked over and hugged Judy as well. “I love you, Aunt Judy.”

“I love you too, Sweetie,” Judy answered as she hugged Cotton back.

“Let us know when you get in?” Bonnie asked.

Judy nodded as Nick picked up their bag.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Hopps, and Bonnie,” Nick said.

“Watch out for each other!” Bonnie called as they boarded the train.

Judy watched as Nick waved out the window to them. She knew who he was waving at. While Nick and her mother had forged a pretty strong relationship, and the one between Nick and her father was cordial at best, Nick was waving at her niece.

“You sure you want to go?” Judy asked quietly as the train started to pull away.

“Not really, no,” Nick answered honestly.

“You are going to miss her,” Judy stated factually. “Still think you wouldn't make a good father?”

“I am going to miss her.” Nick turned from the window and looked down at her. “Who knew you bunnies could burrow your way into hearts as well as the ground?”

“That doesn't really answer the question, Nick,” Judy asked softly as the found their seats.

Nick sighed as he looked at his wife thoughtfully. “Feeling nesty, are you?”

Judy nodded. “I can't help it; seeing you with her makes me want to…”

“Start a fluffle of our own?”

Judy nodded. “You're really good with her.”

“She makes it pretty easy,” Nick deflected.

Judy smiled. “Mom told me about the other kits, and you ‘hunted’ more than just Cotton in that snow bank….”

Nick smiled down at her. “Well, I will definitely enjoy trying,” he admitted.

Judy smiled triumphantly. “So let nature take its course?” she asked.

Nick nodded. “Wasn’t that our plan all along?”

Judy scooted close and snuggled into his side. “I think you’ll be an excellent father.”  

Nick’s arm slipped around the slim form of his wife as she slowly slipped off to sleep. He watched out the window as the scenery slowly changed from the fertile plains to rolling forest covered hills. Eventually he could start to make out the skyline of the city, knowing that life was once again about to get much more complicated for them.


	7. Episode 7: Stress Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year Ladies and Gents!
> 
> I feel a minor warning is in store. This story is about to get decidedly less fluffy.
> 
> Those that are joining us after this series was recommended on reddit, welcome and I hope you enjoy the ride.

# Episode 7: Stress Test

  
“So many times, it happens too fast  
You trade your passion for glory  
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past  
You must fight just to keep them alive.”  
Eye of the Tiger ~ Survivor  
  
Nick stared up at the semi-circular entrance to ZPD Precinct 1. The glass of the building shown brightly in the early morning light. The image of the building was reflected in his mirrored aviator sunglasses. He could have almost been mistaken for a business mammal, with his sharply pressed suit and loosened tie.  
  
“You sure you want to do this, Nick?” Judy asked from his side.  
  
“Why, Carrots, you want to go back to being a farm paw, or maybe my personal assistant?” Nick asked, and Judy blushed slightly with the way he said personal.  
  
“You know this is what I want, it’s just….” Judy started.  
  
“You want to make sure that I'm fully committed and don't regret this later?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy looked away guiltily. “Yes.”  
  
“The possibility is there that I might regret this later, but we can't let might's and might not's dictate our lives, Carrots,” Nick said as he turned his attention from the building to his wife. “Besides, I think it'll be amusing to hear Buffalo Butt stumble over what to call us.”  
  
“Must you antagonize our bosss when we’re trying to get our jobs back?” Judy asked semi-seriously.  
  
“We didn’t lose our jobs Fluff; suspended not fired.” Nick reminded her.  
  
Judy sighed, remembering her last conversation with Chief Bogo, and looked up at the building. _“We’ll discuss this further when or if Wilde returns to active status,”_ she heard Chief Bogo’s voice say in her head, and swallowed semi-nervously.  
  
“Relax Fluff, it'll be fine,” Nick said as he offered her his paw.  
  
“Easy for you to say,” Judy said as she took his paw and they walked toward the building entrance together.  
  
“Remind me again, Officer Fluff; which of us is supposed to be the jaded, cynical one?” Nick asked. “Now relax, I'm sure it will be fine. And remember, if he fires you, we have a backup plan.”  
  
“Oh? And just what is this amazing backup plan?” Judy asked.  
  
“We go into real estate and daily test the sturdiness of my desk,” Nick informed her.  
  
“NICK!” Judy exclaimed as she hopped and turned, thumping him hard in the shoulder with her free paw.  
  
“There she is! I had started to think you didn’t love me anymore, since you hadn’t boxed me in a while ,” Nick said as he rubbed his shoulder with his free paw. “Whoever said someone hits like a bunny had obviously never been hit by you.” A smug smile slowly started to stretch across his face.  
  
Judy looked up at him and smiled. “Sly fox.”  
  
Nick tilted his head to the side and down, lifting his sunglasses slightly so she could see his eyes. “Beautiful bunny,” he answered with a wink.  
  
Judy’s ears heated up even more. “Let's not keep Bogo waiting any longer.”  
  
Nick nodded and pulled the door open for her. “After you.”  
  
Judy stepped into the lobby with Nick close behind her.  
  
“Oh… my… goodness!” came the squeal from the chubby cheetah behind the front desk. “Just how many litters did you two have while you were gone and how cute are they?” Clawhauser asked before he put his paws in front of his mouth. “Oops, sorry! I didn’t mean to…”  
  
Judy looked up at the portly cheetah. “We didn’t have any litters while we were out…” she started, irritation clearly showing in her voice.  
  
“Relax Fluff, I'm sure Spots didn't mean anything by it and you have to admit, any kits we produce would be pretty cute. Your beauty combined with my stunning good looks.”  
  
Clawhauser’s eyes went wide with Nick's remarks, thinking surely the fox was about to get creamed.  
  
Judy paused as she tilted her head slightly. “Unfortunately, they would be cursed with your scruffiness in their lineage, so while they were babies, I’m sure they would be cute. But when they’re older…” She just shrugged.  
  
“You wound me, Fluff! Need I remind you that your mother says I dress better than you? Mind you, that isn't hard when your wardrobe consists of country chic and cop.” Nick held a paw over his heart.  
  
“That's rich, coming from the mammal whose wardrobe mostly consists of ’80s hustler.” Judy shot back.  
  
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, and what was the first shirt you reached for last night when we got in?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy waved a paw as her inner ears turned bright red. “That's unimportant.”  
  
Nick’s smug smile stretched across his face. “Besides, we both know there’s more in my closet than ’80s hustler, but you do seem to be attached to that green shirt I was wearing when we first met.”  
  
Clawhauser's eyes bounced back and forth between the pair as if it was a tennis match, and his paws folded under his chin.  
  
Judy mumbled. “It reminds me of your eyes.”  
  
Nick’s smile went from smug to smug turned up to 11, leaving no doubt in her mind that he heard her. “That's ok, Carrots. The shirt does look good on you.”  
  
“Really?” Judy asked.  
  
“Mmmmhmmm, like a flag on a conquered fortress,” Nick said smugly.  
  
“It's good to see that marriage doesn’t seem to have affected your strong friendship,” Clawhauser commented.  
  
Judy looked up at Clawhauser. “He’s still my best friend….” She smiled slyly. “Ben, you should see some of the pictures taken in Bunnyburrow…”  
  
“You wouldn’t…” Nick said as she scrambled up onto the front desk and pulled out her phone.  
  
“Now, this was taken yesterday,” Judy said as she showed Ben the picture of Nick holding Cotton on the train platform.  
  
Clawhauser squealed and clapped his paws excitedly. “Oh, my! Who knew he was such a softie?”  
  
Judy grinned. “Oh, he's a big softie all right…” She started to scroll through her pictures looking for one. “Ahh, here it is….” She showed Clawhauser a picture of Nick in the nursery feeding her sister’s kits.  
  
“Aww!” Clawhauser squealed.  
  
Nick's tail flicked behind him, mildly agitated. “Spots, is the Chief free?”  
  
“Oh, he’ll be freeafter morning briefing,” Clawhauser answered. “Is that Nick's tail sticking up out of the snow?”  
  
“Yes, he played this game with the older kits that would dig tunnels in the snow, and he’d hunt them. He got pretty good at it, and they had to get better at avoiding him,” Judy explained. “But that's not the other one I wanted to show you.” Judy kept flipping through pictures. “Ahh, here it is.” Judy showed Clawhauser a picture of Nick asleep in a rocking chair with almost every kit in the nursery asleep on his chest.  
  
“Oh… that's just….oh….” Clawhauser’s paws came back up in front of his mouth to keep him from saying cute.  
  
“It’s ok Ben, I know just how cute this picture truly is,” Judy said.  
  
“Are all those your mother's kits?” Ben asked.  
  
“No, Mom gave birth to her last litter just after Nick’s graduation last year. These are all our nieces and nephews,” Judy said proudly as she looked at the picture of her kit-covered husband. “But Mom and Dad did have a lot of kits,” Judy conceded.  
  
“HO…” Bogo started to bellow. “Ju… WILDES, IN MY OFFICE NOW!” Chief Bogo finally settled on calling them.  
  
Judy hopped down off of the front desk and waved at Clawhauser. “We’ll have to finish catching up later Ben,” she called to him as she made her way toward the elevators with Nick.  
  
“Yeah, I have a picture of her covered in mud that you might like to see as well,” Nick called back as his tail wrapped around Judy's hips.  
  
“You wouldn’t dare show him that picture,” Judy said.  
  
“I wouldn’t have, until you showed him the one of me covered in kits,” Nick shot back.  
  
“Oh come on, that one is adorable,” Judy said as they entered the elevator.  
  
Nick shrugged. “I think the one of you covered in mud is reminiscent of your time at the academy.”  
  
Judy blushed and looked up at him. “How do…”  
  
Nick smiled down at her. “I spent last Christmas with Major Friedkin, remember?”  
  
“She told you…”  
  
“About the times you died? Oh, boy did she; it took a bit of prying but once I told her we were going to be partners….” Nick said with a smug grin. “Did you know she recorded the enormous criminal fights?”  
  
Judy looked up at him. “She didn’t…”  
  
Nick’s only answer was a sly grin as they made their way from the elevator down the hall to Chief Bogo’s office. “I wonder if I can trade her the picture of you in mud for it?”  
  
“You wouldn't…” Judy said, but she even sounded unconvinced to herself.  
  
“I don’t know; we will just have to see now won't we,” Nick said ominously.  
  
Judy sighed as she knocked on Chief Bogo’s door and opened it when the Chief bellowed, “Enter.”  
  
Judy swallowed nervously. _If truth be told, I don't care if he trades the mud picture for the video of me getting clobbered by McHorn. The distraction was worthwhile._ She felt like she was marching to her own execution.  
  
“Hey, Chief!” Nick greeted Bogo. “You must have been hitting the gym; I swear that shirt looks like it's even more painted on than I remember.”  
  
Bogo snorted and glared at the fox as they both sat on the same large mammal sized chair across from his desk. “So she wasn’t able to wrangle your tongue, then?” He asked.  
  
“That depends on your def…” Nick gasped for breath as Judy’s elbow found his diaphragm.  
  
“There, there, Nick, you'll be able to breathe in a moment…” Judy patted him on the back consolingly.  
  
“Thank you…Judy.” Somehow Bogo made her name sound like it was being wrung out from stone. “I take it he's doing ok then, since his sass is back?” Bogo asked.  
  
“It was his idea to come back, so I believe so…” Judy answered while Nick slowly regained his breath.  
  
Bogo sighed audibly. “I take it you're both looking to return to duty, then?”  
  
Nick nodded as he finally caught his breath. “Ready to go back to making the world a better place,” he said.  
  
“There is a recertification class going on tomorrow at the academy. Major Friedkin will be expecting you two. A physical test, firearms and/or taser, a written test, plus a stress test for you, Wilde.” Bogo said. “The stress test isn’t necessarily pass or fail, but given your condition…”  
  
“You need to know how he’ll react,” Judy finished.  
  
Bogo nodded.  
  
Nick frowned slightly. “I don't like being a science experiment, especially when a career that I’ve come to enjoy hangs in the balance.”  
  
Judy blinked in surprise, as that was the first time he had admitted that he enjoyed being a cop. She turned to study his face. Nick was hard to read most of the time. Years of being a con fox had taught him to hide behind a mask, but she’d picked up on a few of his tells over the past year. They all told her the same thing. He was sincere. _He came back for more than just my dream…_  
  
Judy turned and looked at Bogo, a questioning look on her face.  
  
“The test isn't pass or fail,” Bogo said.  
  
“Then why do it?” Nick asked directly.  
  
“Wilde you're the first, if not the only, one to have your condition. The reports from Dr. Treeroot say you would be an asset. The reports I got from Dr. Clara Hopps say you’re stable and not prone to fly off the deep end,” Bogo told him. “But I would be remiss in my duties to the city not to test you to make sure you’re safe around more than just kits and females.”  
  
Nick was quiet for a moment. Judy could tell he was weighing the Chief's words carefully before he finally said, “That makes a twisted sort of sense.”  
  
“Good. Have Clawhauser issue you your car back and be at the academy no later the 0800,” Bogo said, looking back down at the paperwork on his desk. “Dismissed.”  
  
Nick followed Judy out of his office and silently shut the door behind him. Judy watched him; she could tell that he was worried.  
  
Judy sighed and looked up at him. “Come on Slick, let's go get our errands done so we can relax this evening.”  
  
“Sounds good Fluff,” Nick said, his voice sounding a bit off.  
  
“We could order pizza tonight and watch some terrible B-rated movie on Furflix,” Judy suggested.  
  
“So Furflix and chill?” Nick asked as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.  
  
“We’ll see, Slick.”  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy looked at Nick as his phone started ringing the minute they walked through the door, grocery bags in paw. “You going to answer that?” she asked.  
  
“It's the default ringtone so more than likely it's a telemarketer,” he said as he sat the bags in his paws down.  
  
“I think you should answer it,” she said as she started to put their groceries away.  
  
“Ok…” He looked at her with curiosity as he fished his phone out of his pocket and looked at the display. “Unknown caller….and MuzzleTime?” he mumbled as he swiped his thumb across the screen to answer.  
  
Judy smiled as she heard the cry of “UNCLE NICK!” erupt from his phone as soon as the call connected.  
  
Nick flinched at the sudden loud greeting, and his phone slipped from his paw. His other paw attempted to come down to catch it, only to knock it careening across the counter and onto the living room floor.  
  
Judy watched him walk out of the kitchen to get his phone. “Now aren't you glad I made you get a case for that?”  
  
Nick eyed her and stuck his tongue out at her before he picked up his phone and warmly greeted the bunny on the other end, “Hey Cotton Ball, didn’t expect it to be you. What have you been up to today?” He looked from his phone to Judy.  
  
“That sounds like an important call there Slick. You take care of that, and I'll put away our groceries,” Judy said.  
  
“HI AUNT JUDY!” Cotton called out.  
  
“Hi Cotton,” Judy answered when Nick turned the phone around.  
  
“Uncle Nick! Guess what? I had an adventure today with Robin!” Cotton told him excitedly as he turned his phone back around.  
  
“Really? What kind of adventure did you have today?” Nick asked as he walked into the living room and sat down onto the couch.  
  
“We were ninja’s! We had to sneak through this secret tunnel in order get past the mean guard and do our secret mission.” Cotton told him.  
  
“What was your secret mission?” Nick asked.  
  
Cotton looked around conspicuously. “We had to hide our stash of cookies” she whispered to her tablet.  
  
“Oh, you have a stash of cookies?” Nick asked.  
  
“Not so loud, Uncle Nick!” Cotton scolded him. “It’s supposed to be a secret,” she whispered.  
  
“Oh! I’m sorry, I hope I didn't endanger your secret stash of cookies,” Nick stage whispered with a smile on his face.  
  
Nick watched as she looked around again. “It’s ok, we already ate them all.”  
  
He chuckled. “Well, your tummy is a perfect place to stash your cookies.”  
  
He raised his eyebrow when he got a text from Bonnie.  
  
**Bonnie** : She tried to climb the laundry shoot and slipped when we dumped the rest of the sheets from the third level down it.  
  
Followed quickly by a second text: Judy did it when she was five as well.  
  
Nick chuckled. “Any ghosts attack you while you were climbing the secret tunnel?”  
  
Cotton's eyes got wide. “How did you know about the ghosts, Uncle Nick?”  
  
“Secret tunnels are almost always haunted,” Nick informed her. He watched as the young bunny's ears got droopy. “Something wrong Cotton?” He asked softly.  
  
“I miss you, Uncle Nick,” she said softly, her voice cracking slightly.  
  
Nick sighed softly. “I miss you too Cotton Ball, but you keep taking care of Robin, and we’ll be there to visit you before you know it,” Nick reassured her.  
  
“Prowmis?” Cotton asked.  
  
“Yeah, I promise Fluff Ball, we will visit as soon as we can,” Nick told her.  
  
“Gramma says I have to go take a bath before dinner,” Cotton told him.  
  
“Ok Cotton, you have a good night,” he told her.  
  
“Good night, Uncle Nick, I love you.”  
  
“I love you too, Cotton, bye for now,” Nick said softly.  
  
“Bye,” Cotton said just before she hung up the call.  
  
Judy watched as he laid his head back against the back of the couch, his ears splayed out to the sides as he rested his phone on his chest. She could see that his eyes were closed, and the corner of the right one was damp. She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick photo and sent it to her mom.  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“I can't believe you're drinking coffee before a PT test,” Judy said as they stood beside the track outside the Academy. She shook her head as she looked up at him.  
  
“You know I'm not much of a morning mammal, Fluff,” Nick shot back.  
  
“Pfffttt, whatever. You’ve been getting up just fine these last few months out on the farm,” Judy shot back.  
  
“Yeah, well….” Nick just shrugged and took another sip of his coffee.  
  
“How did you survive Nick?” she asked. “You know rabbits can’t have that much caffeine.”  
  
Nick just smiled. “The same way I ate.”  
  
Judy looked up at him. “You’re telling me one of my sisters made you coffee?”  
  
“Nope, not saying that at all,” Nick said smugly.  
  
“Oh good.”  
  
“Your mom made it for me,” Nick said smugly. “What can I say Fluff? Other than your father and a few of your brothers your family, loves me.”  
  
“Yeah, well, your one bunny fan club must have something to do with that,” Judy piped up. “Just how is Cotton doing anyway?”  
  
“Two bunnies, and she's good; her and Robin took a ride down the laundry shoot yesterday,” Nick answered.  
  
“Oh god, really?” Judy asked.  
  
“Yep, your mom said you did something similar when you were about her age,” Nick said. “I bet you were about as cute as Cotton is back then.”  
  
Judy shook her head as a few more cops joined them around the track. “When did you talk to my mother?” she asked.  
  
“I haven't spoken to her since we left Bunnyburrow,” Nick said.  
  
“But…”  
  
“She texted me,” Nick admitted.  
  
Judy looked up at him. “Mom texted you?”  
  
“Yes, yes she did,” Nick answered, his grin stretching across his face.  
  
Judy was about to ask something when she was interrupted by the booming voice of Major Friedkin. “Ok, listen up mammals! Today you will undergo certification testing. This will include a physical fitness test, firearms and taser qualification, and a written test on the laws and regulations of the City of Zootopia and the surrounding areas.” Major Friedkin looked around the gathered mammals. “And for you, Foxtrot, I have something special planned. For those of you not in PT Gear, you got 10 minutes to change and get your fuzzy asses out here. NOW MOVE!”  
  
Nick and Judy just smiled at each other. “So that's why you insisted on coming in PT Gear,” Nick said.  
  
“Yep.”  
  
“Sly bunny,” Nick teased.  
  
“Slow fox,” Judy shot back.  
  
“Slow?” Nick asked.  
  
“Yep. Are you forgetting that I hold the record for the two-mile run?” Judy asked as she looked up at him, challenge shining bright in her amethyst eyes.  
  
Nick studied her body language for a moment. “Just what is my sly bunny trying to hustle out of me?”  
  
“Who says I'm trying to hustle anything out of you?” Judy said teasingly as she looked up at him seeing wasn’t buying it. “But…”  
  
“Here it comes,” Nick said his grin spreading across his face.  
  
“If you wanted to make a bet…” Judy hinted.  
  
“And just what does the sly bunny want?” Nick asked.  
  
“Dinner; if you win, I’ll cook you dinner,” Judy said confidently.  
  
“And if you win?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy thought about it for a moment. “A favor to be named at a later date.”  
  
Nick thought about it for a moment as he studied her.  
  
“Now if my big bad foxy husband is afraid…” Judy said as she started to stretch.  
  
“Somehow I feel I'm getting the shorter end of the stick here Fluff; need I remind you that Nick Wilde favors are worth their weight in gold?” Nick asked as he raised an eyebrow. “I think you need to sweeten the pot just a bit Fluff.”  
  
“And just what would I need to sweeten it with Nick?”  
  
“Dinner and, say, a Judy Wilde favor to be named at a later date,” Nick said slyly.  
  
“And just what would my husband ask of me?” Judy asked looking up at him.  
  
Nick booped her on the nose with the tip of a claw. “Nothing you wouldn’t be willing to do anyway.”  
  
Judy’s ears flushed bright red at his implications. “Fine, dinner and a favor to be called in at a later date.”  
  
Nick smiled down at her.

  
“What are you smiling about Slick? I'm about to hand you your tail,” Judy said seriously.  
  
Nick grinned even larger. “Win or lose Fluff, I win either way.”  
  
“How do you figure that?”  
  
Nick's smile turned to smug. “You wouldn’t use your favor for something purely selfish.”  
  
Judy smiled as Major Friedkin shouted, “Ok, get your fuzzy tails on the line. Megafauna, please be mindful of the smaller mammals on the track. With that being said, smaller mammals be mindful of the megafauna or YOU’LL BE DEAD!”  
  
Nick tossed his empty coffee cup into the trash can beside the track and walked to the starting line with Judy.  
  
“Runners, on your mark,” Major bellowed.  
  
The variously sized mammals all got ready to start their run.  
  
“Go!” Major Friedkin bellowed and started a countdown clock. The maximum time allowed for a two-mile run for any mammal was 20 minutes. She crossed her massive arms across her chest as she watched Nick and Judy speed off ahead of the pack.  
  
_Plan is to keep pace with her then pass on the last straight,_ Nick thought to himself as he settled into his fast loping run, his eyes more on his wife's tail.  
  
After the first lap around the track, Judy started to pull away from Nick ever so slightly; at first the gap was hardly noticeable between them. By last two laps, Judy had managed to pull a rather sizable distance away as Nick struggled to keep from dropping to all fours to give chase.  
  
“Come on, Nick! I thought this was going to be a challenge!” Judy called back to the fox as she came out of the corner and into the straight to start her last lap.  
  
Major Friedkin's booming laugh echoed across the track. “Ha, ha, ha, she has your number, Foxtrot!”  
  
Nick growled and dropped to all fours as he rounded the corner and started his last lap, his eyes fixed on Judy three-quarters of the way down the straight from him. His gait became more natural feeling to his paw, propelling him forward faster. He poured on the speed, his aching rear legs complaining with each stride.  
  
“You better MOVE, bunny bumpkin, otherwise Foxtrot is going to run you down!” came the call as Judy was nearing the lapped megafauna. Judy chanced a look back over her shoulder and hopped around the elephant in front of her as fast as she could, bouncing easily to the left just to dart back across to the right and cut back to the inside of the corner.  
  
Nick dodged around the elephant almost the same way Judy did. She was maybe halfway down the back straight as he rounded the corner and pushed his body forward even faster. His lungs burned, feeling like he wasn't getting enough oxygen; and his legs ached and protested with each long stride forward he made. His ears were laid back flat against his skull. The rubberized surface of the track dug into his paw pads.  
  
Judy knew he was closing the distance between them, and ahead of her was one of the grizzly bear officers and then the finish line. She chanced another glance back over her shoulder to see where Nick was and could see him rounding out the last corner, mere yards behind her now, and poured on her own burst of speed, moving into the center and a clear lane to the finish line.  
  
Nick growled as the distance between them started to open again, as his body protesting with each stride forward. Judy, despite his best effort, crossed the finish line first and gave a little fist pump of victory. She turned with a triumphant smile on her face as he passed the finish line mere seconds behind her, huffing as he tried to get air into his aching lungs.  
  
Judy grinned at Nick. “So, Slick, maybe now you won't skip out so much on cardio.”  
  
Nick tried to chuckle, but it came out as a wheeze. “Is that what you want, you sly bunny, a running partner?” he asked, the words coming out between gasps.  
  
“Mmmmmmm, that would be nice, but now I’m hoping this will get you motivated to run more often on your own. So no need to waste a Nick Wilde favor on that. After all, they are worth their weight in gold,” Judy teased as they walked along the outer edge of the track in the grass to cool off.  
  
Judy watched him as he slowly transitioned from four legs back to two legs. “You ok?”  
  
“Yeah, just my gait felt off; running on two legs made it hard to keep pace,” he admitted.  
  
“You would have caught me if you had started running like that a little sooner,” Judy admitted.  
  
“So…. what is it that my best friend and wife desires?” Nick asked as he looked down at her.  
  
“Who says I desire anything right now?” Judy asked.  
  
“Well, you wouldn't have made a bet to get a favor if you didn't want something. But you know all you had to do was was tell me, right?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy smiled slyly. “I like my husband owing me one of his famous Nick Wilde favors, as they seem always to guarantee it'll get done.”  
  
Nick smiled. “Sly bunny.”  
  
Judy laughed as they rounded the last turn. “Dumb fox.”  
  
A few minutes later Judy was suddenly glad she wasn't the one counting Nick's push-ups. Watching the musculature of his back and arms ripple under his fur and shirt was just fascinating. Up and down her eyes tracked his back and arms, the flex and movement of the muscles drew her eyes; it was as if she hadn't seen that side of him before.  
  
_Dr. Treeroot said he might gain muscle density,_ her inner voice reminded her.  
  
_Mmmmmhmmmm,_ she answered.  
  
_Well, it seems,_ her inner voice started.  
  
_Shut up and let me enjoy this_ , she told herself.  
  
“TIME!” Major Friedkin bellowed.  
  
Judy watched as Nick stood up and fist bumped the wolf that was counting for him. His eyes tracked over to her with his smug grin as the wolf whispered something in his ear. She could feel her ears heat up as blood rushed to them. His emerald green eyes were full of pride, and his smug smile slowly grew as the wolf kept whispering into his ear. The wolf's face showed surprise, then a small bit of admiration and jealousy when the wolf’s eyes looked over to her as Nick walked over to stand beside her ,waiting for the rest of the group to finish their push-ups and sit-ups.  
  
“What did he say to you?” she asked quietly.  
  
Nick just shrugged. “Seems you had a fan in that wolf, Fluff.”  
  
“Oh?” Judy asked.  
  
“Yep,” Nick said smugly.  
  
“What did he say?” Judy asked again.  
  
“It would appear the great Judy Hopps was checking me out while doing push-ups,” Nick told her. “But I told him that was impossible, considering I’d married Judy Hopps a few months ago; but I did not doubt that my wife Judy Wilde was checking me out. I am the hottest fox in the city after all.”  
  
“So what do you mean by had?” Judy asked. “Another friend on the force would be good.”  
  
“Well, I think he was checking you out more for his sake than mine,” Nick explained. “He might not have counted a few of my push-ups, as he was busy watching you, but I still passed, so it doesn't matter.”  
  
“Nick…” Judy started.  
  
“No, I'm not going to say anything to Major; it's a pass or fail test Fluff. I passed, and I don't want to do all those push-ups again just to make a point.” Nick interrupted her.  
  
“But, he could…” Judy started again.  
  
“Make moves on you?” Nick eyed the wolf. “Sure he could, but he wouldn’t; even if he did it wouldn’t matter.”  
  
“How could you dismiss the possibility so lightly?” Judy asked as they waited.  
  
“One, he's joining Wolford's pack, and they are very traditional as far as mates go. Two, and this is the big one mind you, I trust you,” Nick said as they watched the last of mammals finish their push-ups.  
  
“How do you know he's joining Wolford's pack?” Judy asked. “You didn't speak to him that long.”  
  
Nick tapped the side of his nose. “I can smell the pack on him.”  
  
Nick watched proudly as his wife cranked out her sit-ups. He did the minimum to pass, 45, but Judy? She was an overachiever in everything. His chest swelled up with pride for her. _Those abs…_ Nick thought to himself. _That and those buns._  
  
_Wonder if I can get one of the keys to an_ _instructor’s_ _room,_ Nick pondered as he watched Judy’s sit-ups. _Get your mind out of the gutter,_ he thought to himself, still watching Judy's abs as they contracted with her sit-ups. _Buffalo_ _Butt_ _would have our tails if we did anything on ZPD grounds._  
  
“Look, I'm sorry about what I said before…” said the grey and brown wolf quietly as he stepped up beside Nick.  
  
Nick looked at the taller mammal out of the corner of his eye from behind his sunglasses. The body language of the wolf told him he was sincere in his apologies, but something was off with the wolf that Nick couldn't quite place.  
  
“No harm in looking,” Nick answered.  
  
“I honestly didn’t know she had gotten married; how long have you two been…” the wolf asked.  
  
“Since the end of September,” Nick answered.  
  
“Well that explains it. I was moving across the country at the time of your wedding,” the wolf said. “I had semi-followed stories about her after she busted Bellwether the year before last.”  
  
Nick nodded. “Where are you from originally, Officer?”  
  
“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. And here I was telling you about the cute rabbit checking you out. I’m Farkas, Daniel Farkas. I’m transferring here from Furrydelphia,” Daniel Farkas introduced himself.  
  
“Get many rabbits in Furrydelphia?” Nick asked.  
  
“A few, but I didn’t get much of a chance to interact with them; they stayed more to the south end of the city, and I was from the north side,” Daniel explained.  
  
Nick looked up at him. “Don't call them cute; well, unless you want a complaint filed against you, or to get beaten up, then by all means, go for it.” Nick turned his attention back to his wife as she finished up her sit-ups. “No harm in thinking it though.”  
  
“Thanks for the advice. Are there many rabbits here in the city?” He asked.  
  
“There’s a sizable population of them in the Meadowlands; most live in the outlying communities like the Burrows,” Nick explained.  
  
“Any others on the police force?” Daniel asked.  
  
“Nope, only one crazy enough for that,” Nick said. “Most prefer safer work like farming than police work, and trust me, over the last few months I have met a lot of bunnies.”  
  
“Your in-laws, I take it?” Daniel asked.  
  
“Lawyers, midwives, game programmers, more than a few musicians, a doctor, a couple of nurses, cooks and a lot of farm paws; you wouldn't believe the number of farm paws. But only one cop.” Nick looked thoughtful for a moment as he thought of Cotton. “And one tiny, very brave, bunny that will be…who knows?”  
  
Daniel just listened for a moment. “Again, though, I am sorry for what I said. I didn’t know she was your wife, and while that shouldn't be an excuse, I just wanted to apologize.”  
  
“Learn from it.” Nick smiled as Judy finished her sit-ups. “Do you know where you’re going to be stationed?”  
  
“Precinct 2,” Daniel offered.  
  
“The Alpine District bordering Tundra Town and Meadowlands,” Nick said and smiled up at the wolf. “Looks like you'll be meeting your fair share of rabbits soon enough.” Nick studied the wolf for a moment. “Keep an open mind, and don’t take everything that Packleader Borris says to heart.”  
  
“Wait how…” Daniel started to ask, when Nick walked off to talk to Judy.  
  
“OK MAMMALS, YOU GOT 30 MINUTES TO HAVE YOUR FLUFFY TAILS SHOWERED AND IN TESTING ROOM 4D!” Major Friedkin bellowed.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy walked beside Nick on their way to the range. She didn’t need to go to the field, as taser qualification was a class just after the written test. She glanced over at Nick, who pulled a rather large case behind him. _He has to qualify not just with his pistol, but his rifle as well,_ she thought.  
  
“Hey Carrots, what did you get for number 32?” Nick asked, breaking the silence.  
  
“I put ‘L,’” Judy answered. “You know we’re not supposed to talk about the test outside of the classroom.”  
  
“Shoot, I put Q; oh well, I passed,” Nick said, and shook his head. “I don't think they’ll hold it against us too much, Fluff.”  
  
"When the Major says 'multiple choice,' she doesn't mess around," Judy remarked shaking her head.  
  
“Yeah, well, I think Bogo wrote some of those answers,” Nick remarked as they neared the range.  
  
“How could you tell?” Judy asked.  
  
“Because some of the answers could have been used on a greeting card,” Nick quipped.  
  
Judy fought hard to suppress a giggle. “Yeah, but you better not let him hear you say that.”  
  
“WILDE! Parking duty!” Nick said in a somewhat possible imitation of Chief Bogo. “Which one of us, sir?” Nick said in his voice.  
  
Judy snorted, hardly able to contain her laughter.  
  
“Both of you,” Nick said again in his Chief Bogo sounding voice. “And that's how we became the only detectives ever to get parking duty,” Nick said somewhat seriously.  
  
Judy sat in the bleachers behind the firing line, watching as Nick slowly assembled his gear. She watched as Nick first checked over both firearms and then turned to the mundane task of loading ammunition into magazines for the warm-up and zeroing of his weapons before the qualification course began. Being the smallest mammal not on the Little Rodentia force, the department had yet to find a suitable lethal sidearm for her.  
  
“Bunny Bumpkin, I’ll be honest Fuzzy Butt, you were the last of my students that I ever thought would get married. Figured you’d be married to da job with all your ‘but Major, all I’ve ever wanted to be is a cop!’” Major said as she walked up, the last being delivered in a poor imitation of Judy’s typically overly cheerful voice. “Come take a walk with me,” she added, her tone of voice leaving Judy little doubt that she could refuse.  
  
As Judy followed the Major away from the firing range, she couldn't help but notice that Major’s usually brisk pace was much more subdued, allowing Judy to keep up easily. “I'm still a cop!” Judy said, with some force behind her voice.  
  
Major Friedkin stopped and stared down at the rabbit officer for a moment, and then snorted. “I’ve read your reports; impressive work for the most part. Two mayors, a string of small-time drug dealers, purse snatchers, and other hoodlums,” Major turned and kept walking away from the firing range.  
  
Judy followed Major Friedkin once again. “I had help for all of that.”  
  
Whether Major heard her or choose to ignore it, Judy couldn't tell. “Do you remember how many times you died here?” Major asked after a few moments of silence between them.  
  
“A lot,” Judy admitted.  
  
“239 times. I counted. AAfter 20, I expected you to quit and tuck tail and run.” Major Friedkin smiled down at Judy, pride showing in her eyes. “Most improved student I have ever had. So you taking down two mayors and the rest came as no surprise. You being a top cop came as no surprise to me either. What surprised me, Bunny Bumpkin, was when you called to invite me to your shotgun wedding.”  
  
“We’d originally planned for the spring,” Judy said.  
  
Major Friedkin nodded. “I know how plans go, and considering the events of round two in the natural history museum?’” She shook her head. “Nasty business that. Your husband, he died 102 times, and zero of them on the obstacle course. Got to know him over Christmas break of 2016. Imagine my surprise when I caught him sneaking into the kitchens for food when all the cadets had gone home.” Major chuckled slightly.  
  
“If it helps, my niece has him wrapped around her paw.” Judy offered.  
  
A silence stretched between them for a few moments. “The Mayor wants your husband tested, cowardly old squirrel. Was third in line. Bellwether put one of her cronies in as assistant mayor, and it came out that he was in on it all.” Major Friedkin sighed and looked down at Judy. “I was told to get your help in testing him. I recommend you don’t, but I have to ask, will you help?”  
  
Judy studied Major Friedkin's face. “What it is you want to do?”  
  
“Is that a yes or a no?” The Major asked.  
  
“It's an I will not blindly agree to something that may cause more harm than good to my husband,” Judy said defiantly as she crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
Major Friedkin had heard some interesting rumors about her rabbit protege and the fox she had chosen to marry. Many of them put to rest in how protective Judy was of Nick. She watched the younger officer and smiled in pride.  
  
The Major could see the rabbit’s irritation grow as the silence between them hung longer and longer. Finally, she answered. “The Mayor seems to think the best way to test him is to place him in a situation where he has to choose between saving you or saving ‘random’ citizens.”  
  
Judy blinked a few times. “That has to be the most asinine idea I’ve ever heard, and I work and live with Nick!” Judy fumed as she looked away, her right foot thumping hard against the sidewalk. “Let me guess, he ‘fails’ if he does what any rational mammal would do and help their loved ones first?”  
  
Major Friedkin stepped back away from the angry rabbit. “I’m under the impression that this isn't a pass or fail kind of test.”  
  
“Then why even do it?” Judy stared hard up at her mentor, her arms uncrossed and her fists clenched at her sides. “Why put him through it, for some sick voyeuristic pleasure?”  
  
“I honestly don’t know what the Mayor wants to get out of this little test,” Major Friedkin answered.  
  
“Tell me, just what do you think Nick will do?” Judy asked.  
  
“If he is half as fiercely loyal to you as you are to him? He’ll do what any of us would do in that situation: save our loved ones first, then help anyone else they can.” The Major answered candidly. “We may pay lip service to our oath of putting the city and its citizens first, but when the scat hits the fan?” Major shrugged. “We’ll protect our own before anyone else.”  
  
Judy stared up at her mentor. “No,” she answered after a few moments. “I won’t help you. My relationship with Nick is too important for something as frivolous as the Mayor’s little science experiment that we already know the answer to.” She turned and started to walk back toward the sound of gunfire coming from the range and paused, looking back over her shoulder at Major Friedkin. She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something else then just shook her head and resumed walking toward the range.  
  
Major Friedkin sighed and pulled one of the ZPD’s tranquilizer guns from its place under her shirt at the small of her back. The little green plumed dart looked almost comical loaded onto a weapon sized for the polar bear. Taking careful aim, she pulled the trigger and with a puff of compressed gasses sent the dart to thump straight into the back of Judy’s right thigh.  
  
Judy felt the dart thump into place just before her eyes rolled back and her world went dark.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick fitted the blue painted training slide onto his sidearm and placed the black one into the carrying case with his rifle. He ratcheted the slide back and pulled the weapon's trigger; hearing the familiar metallic thump-click of the firing pin shooting forward to hit nothing only confirmed that the firearm was operating normally. The slide change was needed to fire the lower powered training rounds and still ensure that the gun fired like normal.  
  
Placing the weapon down on the table in front of him, he started to load rounds into the two magazines for his gun. The rounds were loaded not with the typical metallic penetrator, but instead, special gel-filled paint that would splat against targets. These rounds were only used in special training situations, as they were costly.  
  
Nick could feel Major Friedkin's eyes on him. She had the off-smelling odor of nervousness hanging about her. It struck Nick as odd, almost as odd as Judy not being present.  
  
“Have you seen Judy?” he asked as he loaded the rounds into the last magazine.  
  
“I haven’t seen Bunny Bumpkin in the last 20 minutes or so,” Major responded.  
  
Nick studied her body language carefully and weighed her words against it. _Truthful but the whole truth,_ he thought to himself.  
  
“You haven’t seen her, but you know where she is,” Nick stated clearly, the fur on the back of his neck rising slightly. He slid one of the two magazines into the weapon and pulled the slide back, letting it slam back forward to feed a round into the chamber. He holstered the gun on his right paw side and placed the full magazine in a pouch on his left.  
  
“You’ll see her before this is over,” Major Friedkin promised.  
  
Nick’s eyes narrowed as he tilted his head up to look at the large polar bear.  
  
“Open this after I leave,” Major said as she handed him an envelope.  
  
Nick eyed the envelope as the Major walked out the door, the fur on the back of his neck rising as he got a bad feeling. He eyed the door as he heard the lock engage. He extended the claw of his right thumb and sliced through the thin paper of the envelope and pulled out a tri-folded piece of paper.  
  
“Wilde,” the note started. “Judy, along with the Mayor and three of his cabinet members, was abducted this afternoon. Negotiations have broken down and the terrorists responsible have indicated that they will execute one of the hostages in the next 5 minutes.” Nick's eyes narrowed as he reached the bottom of the page. “P.S.: Bunny Bumpkin did not volunteer for this.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Major Ursula Friedkin trudged up the stairs to the catwalk overlooking the close quarters combat training arena. The bright overhead lights of the building’s true ceiling illuminated the floor below. The extensive training building was divided by tall plywood walls, many of them paint-splattered from previous training exercises.  
  
The third mammal she dreaded seeing most was up here. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at a brown-furred squirrel in a black suit riding on the shoulder of his wolf bodyguard.  
  
Mayor Edmonton Nutcache, the most unlikely candidate for mayor who only rose to power due to being deemed incompetent enough not to be included in Bellwethers scheme. But competent enough to be able to keep a schedule straight.  
  
Major Friedkin sighed. _It’s not the Mayor's fault I'm in this position._ It took all of her massive self-control to keep from throttling the Mayor. _At least_ _this will be over soon. Chief Bogo will get here and put an end to_ _this_ _stupidity,_ she thought to herself as she walked up to where the Mayor was perched.  
  
“It should be noted that this is the biggest mistake ever made,” Major Friedkin remarked. “Next to my own.”  
  
“Chief Bogo called this off…” Major Friedkin started.  
  
“Chief Bogo will do as he is told or I will replace him with someone who will,” Mayor Nutcache remarked as he watched Nick in the room below. “He's protecting that savage, I know it.”  
  
“Detective Wilde…” Major started.  
  
“Don't sully that title with his name! My father was a Detective on the Little Rodentia police force! That fox shouldn't have even been allowed onto the force, let alone allowed to advance!” the Mayor all but screamed. His tirade would have been intimidating if it wasn’t for the high pitched squeakiness of it.  
  
Major Friedkin rolled her eyes and turned her attention down to one of the two mammals that were tied for number one slot of mammals she dreaded seeing after this. “What is he doing?” she asked out loud.  
  
“How should I know? You trained him!” the Mayor yelled.  
  
Major Friedkin smiled as Nick shimmied the lock to the buildings breaker box open. “That sly fox,” she said in admiration just before the lights went out.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Nick walked from the breaker box over to the door leading deeper into the training rooms the light of his phone screen being enough to allow him to see clearly. Sounds of confusion echoed from behind the door in front of him. The one sound he couldn't hear that he desperately wanted to hear at that moment was Judy’s voice.  
  
_Gagged,_ _or maybe knocked out,_ he thought to himself as he pulled up the flashlight app on his phone. He had scoffed initially about downloading the app, since his phone could already use the cameras flash as a flashlight. But the ability to make it flash in time with music had been an amusement he couldn’t pass up.  
  
Kneeling in front of the door Nick grinned as he pressed play and opened the door. He slid his phone across face down across the concrete floor as the familiar beat, and Gazelle’s voice, started to sing out from the speakers. “Oh, oh, oh…”  
  
“What tha….  
  
The bassline kicked in, and the flash on Nick’s phone started to flash in time with it. “I messed up tonight. I lost another fight,” Gazelle sang from his phone.  
  
Nick entered the room and drew his weapon in one smooth motion. The flashing light briefly illuminated the place enough that Nick could aim and fire. While he didn't have time to make out complete details of the mammals he was firing at, he no longer cared. The overwhelming need to protect his mate had forced his paws to move. His first two shots rang out in quick succession, striking a mammal a few feet from the door and to the left-center mass, causing him to yelp and yell out, “Down.”  
  
Gazelle kept singing, " I still mess up, but I'll just start again, I keep falling down.”  
  
Nick kept his hind paws moving, the return fire being slow to track him in the dizzying light. He knew he was going to have a migraine from this, but didn't care. His ears picked up the sound of a table overturning to make some makeshift over, and a large shape loomed up behind it just to get shot twice in rapid succession. The form snorted and yelled, “FUCK, he got me.” Nick skirted quickly by his phone between beats and kicked it deeper into the room.  
  
“I keep on hitting the ground. I always get up now to see what's next. Birds don't just fly, They fall down and get up. Nobody learns without getting it wrong” Gazelle rang from the speakers.  
  
Nick looked at his phone where it had stopped against the wall and looked behind him as he made sure that he didn’t miss any potential targets. He progressed smoothly, his gait keeping the barrel of his weapon steady as he moved through the room. The flash of light revealed a T-junction and a short hallway to both his left and right. A glance both ways on the next two beats showed no targets, only a pair of closed doors.  
  
“NICK!” came the familiar voice of his wife from his right. He picked up his phone and moved to the door on the right. The flash of light showed a gap between the concrete floor and the door, letting him slide his phone under the door and deep into the room beyond as Gazelle sang.  
  
Nick could hear many paint rounds splatter on the other side of the door and waited for the fire to stop before opening the door and skirting inside, diving hard to his left just as the mammal inside opened fire once again. He could almost feel the round whip by him, and he wasn't even sure he had time to aim as his weapon barked out its reply.  
  
“I’m down!” yelled the mammal that Nick shot at.  
  
“JUDY!” Nick yelled just as the lights and another all too familiar voice boomed throughout the building. “JUST WHAT THE EVER LIVING FUCK IS GOING ON HERE?”  
  
Nick holstered his weapon and scrambled over to where Judy lay crumpled in the corner. “Carrots?” he asked quietly as he touched her shoulder.  
  
“Niiick?” Judy asked as her eyes opened slightly, her words slurred. “Well heeey there handsome….” she slurred as her eyes came to rest on him, and gave him a goofy drunken smile.  
  
Nick’s smile and quip about having a party on duty died on his lips when her eyes slid back shut sleepily. He pressed an ear to her chest and could hear the strong, steady rhythm of her heartbeat, but slower than usual. “Carrots? Come on, Fluff….” His eyes narrowed dangerously as he turned his head and looked at the wolf dressed in swat gear. “What did you do….” Nick growled, low and meanacingly. _She’s been hit with a tranquilizer,_ The rational part of his mind told him, but it was like a whisper in a hurricane of feral worry and concern.  
  
The wolf swallowed nervously and started to ease around the edge of the plywood room toward the door. The sickening feeling in his gut coalesced into a hard pit of fear as Nick's pupils reshaped to vertical slits. “S-s-she was already out when I got here,” The wolf barely got out, suddenly wishing for real ammunition rather than paint rounds.  
  
“Get out,” Nick growled at the wolf as his crouch slowly transformed into a slow stalk of the wolf. _Too_ _close,_ the feral part of his mind warned as he slowly wrangled the wolf toward the room's door.  
  
“Niiiick…” came Judy’s voice behind him, barely above a whisper and still drunkenly slurred. Nick’s left ear turned behind him as the sound of her voice. His eyes never left those of the wolf as he took a step forward, and then came the unmistakable sound of blades being drawn as his claws extended. The wolf's eyes went wide with fear as he backed away slowly and started to pat his gear for anything he could use as a weapon.  
  
“I-I-I could help…” the wolf stammered out, not realizing that Nick had herded him right out the door.  
  
The growl died in Nick’s throat as he reached up and grabbed the doorknob and slammed the door shut in the surprised wolf’s face. He chuffed at the door before turning and making his way back across the room to Judy. His paw pads were nearly silent on the cold concrete of the room.  
  
“I'll keep on making those new mistakes. I'll keep on making them every day — those new mistakes. Oh oh, try everything” rang out the last notes of the song as Nick slowly wrapped himself around the slumbering form of his wife. His eyes glued to the door and the unmistakable sounds of Bogo going off on someone.  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chief Bogo pinched the bridge of his muzzle between the thumb and forefinger of his right hoof. The migraine that this mess had turned into rivaled that of the Bellwether fiasco. “Mayor Nutcache is sitting in a holding cell until tomorrow at the earliest. Conspiracy, assault, and abduction.” Bogo sighed and shook his massive head. “At this rate, we’ll need to open a mayor’s wing of San Siberia State Penitentiary.”  
  
Chief Bogo sighed. _Time to deal with the real reason for my headache,_ he thought to himself. “FRIEDKIN, GET IN HERE,” he bellowed. He glared at Friedkin as she walked in and stood at attention in front of his desk. “Sit.”  
  
Friedkin swallowed nervously as she sat in the chair in front of the chief's desk. Bogo stared at her for a minute.  
  
“What you have done is inexcusable. You have violated the underlying trust that all police officers must have in one another,” Chief Bogo said gravely. “We shouldn’t even be having this conversation, and I shouldn’t have to say any of this to you. You of all mammals in the ZPD understand the camaraderie that must come with being an officer. The harm you have done to Ho…” Chief Bogo growled slightly as he caught himself. “…the Wildes cannot be measured, and why?” Chief Bogo asked.  
  
Friedkin swallowed hard. “WHY, GODS DAMN IT!” Bogo bellowed in her face, slamming his massive hooves down onto the wood of the desk,which caused it to give out an ominous creak.  
  
“Chief…” Friedkin started.  
  
“Choose your words carefully Friedkin; it's only because of our long friendship that you sit in here and not down in the holding cells with Mayor Nutcache,” Bogo said ominously.  
  
“My brother has a drug problem. Mayor Nutcache has been paying for his rehab over the last year. In exchange, he has asked for information about investigations, traffic stops, house calls, almost anything that Officer Nicholas Wilde has been involved in,” Friedkin explained.  
  
“Money,” Bogo said ominously. “We were on the beat together for close to 15 years Friedkin, and you sold out one of your own for money.”  
  
“I didn’t…” Friedkin started.  
  
Bogo slammed his hooves down again on the desktop, and the wood of it started to crack. “DON'T DENY IT! You have opened this department up to a civil suit,the likes which of makes the DA nervous, and more than likely our union will help them do it! BUT WHAT’S EVEN WORSE IS, YOU HAVE DESTROYED HOPPS’ TRUST IN HER FELLOW OFFICERS!” Bogo’s nostrils flared. “This is on top of the insubordination of being told to stand down. I have your read receipt of the email I sent out last night. You knew, you KNEW, that Dr. Treeroot advised heavily against this course of action, that it was liable to send Wilde into a rage.” Chief Bogo stood up and walked over to look out of the window behind his desk. “You’re lucky Wilde’s self-control is even half of what it appears to be. Otherwise, Rickenbarker’s blood would be on your paws.”  
  
“Chief,I…” Friedkin started.  
  
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” Chief Bogo bellowed as he turned to stare Friedkin down. “You’re lucky, so fucking lucky, that the charges against you do not include murder. You know the reason we stopped using tranquilizer darts. Yet what did you do? You used one on the smallest member of the force outside of Little Rodentia!”  
  
“I can’t decide if you’re stupid or you think I am,” Chief Bogo said as he glared at her. “If you truly believe that scat about blackmail justifies what you have done this day then you are an idiot. But thankfully, you’re no longer my problem. Badge. Now,” he demanded.  
  
“Chief?” Friedkin asked as she removed her badge from its chain around her neck.  
  
“Ursula Friedkin, you’re under arrest for the attempted murder of Judith Wilde. You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney; if you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you,” Bogo read from a card he had placed on his desk “Do you understand your rights?”  
  
“I do,” Friedkin said as she dropped her badge on the floor.  
  
“HIGGINS!” the Chief bellowed.  
  
The hippopotamus opened Chief Bogo’s office door. “Yes, Chief?”  
  
“Cuff her and take her down to booking,” Chief Bogo ordered.  
  
Officer Higgins nodded as Chief Bogo turned and looked back out the window over the city. _Could this day get any worse?_ he asked himself.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chief Bogo marched up the stairs to city hall. Getting called into a meeting with Mayor Coltson and District Attorney Fisher just an hour after having to arrest his old partner and, that two hours after arresting Mayor Nutcache, felt like the scat icing on the burnt cake of his day _My_ _afternoon’s_ _been used reading_ _statements_ _and piecing events together,_.” he thought to himself. _I haven't even been able to check up on Ho…Wil_ _…_ _Judith before she was discharged from the hospital._  
  
“Chief.” The warthog manning the security checkpoint at the entrance nodded to him as he waved him through. Bogo nodded at the mammal as he continued to the stairs. The meeting was taking place in the assistant mayor's office. Not that that surprised him, considering there hadn’t yet been time to move Andrew Coltson's office furniture to the mayor's office.  
  
“Go right on in, Chief Bogo, they’re expecting you,” the mayor's secretary said as he stepped into the outer office. She was a young female horse with a soft, almost golden, brown coat and dressed in a bright red power suit. Bogo snorted as he opened the inner door to the Mayor's office.  
  
“Ahh, Chief Bogo, how kind of you to join us,” Mayor Coltson said in a somewhat lazy country drawl. The mayor was a mustang with a mostly brown coat, except for the left side of his face where there was solid white splotch.  
  
“Mayor Coltson, Mr. Fisher,” Chief Bogo greeted gruffly. “Congratulations on your promotion to Mayor.”  
  
“Why, thank you Chief; it's not a job I wanted, I’ll tell ya that. I look forward to tha day that I can retire back to my cricket ranch north of Podunk and enjoy da sunsets,” the mayor responded. “Any word on how Mrs. Wilde is?”  
  
“She’s resting quietly at home” Chief Bogo responded. _“_ _She’ll_ _be knocked out for the rest of the day, and tomorrow might have one_ _hell_ _of a hangover,”_ he remembered Dr. Treeroot telling him.  
  
“And Mr. Wilde?” DA Luke Fisher asked.  
  
“Understandably worried, but in good humor” Chief Bogo answered as he sat down in the only chair that would fit his bulk.  
  
“Good, good. Look Chief, I'll cut to da chase. The DA is concerned that your house isn’t clean,” Mayor Coltson said bluntly. “And with the events of today stacked up with some other things, it doesn't look good.”  
  
“There have been no arrests made in the kit trafficking case since Detective Ho…” DA Fisher looked confused for a moment. “…since the Wildes were placed on suspension. Are you telling me that they’re the only Detectives able to solve this case? What about the cocaine found in Charlie Wolferson’s trunk?”  
  
“We have made multiple arrests…” Chief Bogo started.  
  
“Yes, yes, all low-hanging fruit small-time dealers. No distributors, and when you’ve raided, they’ve already moved on, like they were warned and given sufficient time to pack up and move on!” DA Fisher all but yelled at him. Chief Bogo stared down at the otter in disbelief.  
  
“Now Chief, I didn’t have ya come here to get yer tail chewed on,” the Mayor said with his country drawl. “Mr. Fisher proposed a solution that I happen to be in agreement with.”  
  
Chief Bogo snorted. _I just had to ask how this day could get worse,_ he thought to himself.  
  
“Yes, I want to start an office for special investigations, one that reports directly to the DA’s office or maybe to a Judge, but still have the powers needed to make arrests. Your organization is dirty; you have a leak,” Mr. Fisher went on.  
  
“I don’t feel this is necessary; if you have concerns, please take them up with Internal Affairs…” Bogo started.  
  
“I have, twice, and they don't find anything either time, but your lack of results speaks for itself. The fact that the overdose rate at Zootopia General hasn't dropped, the fact that I can drive though Happy Town on any given evening and find a drug dealer myself, speaks for how well your organization is doing to combat this issue!” The DA stood up in the chair that was much too large for him to address the larger mammal.  
  
Chief Bogo started to respond but was cut off. “And don’t even get me started on the fact that I’m certain there are more kits in this city that are being exploited, and that your organization is dragging its feet!” The DA eyed Bogo. “Maybe it's not your organization, maybe it's you!”  
  
Chief Bogo’s nostrils flared.”I have served this city faithfully for over 20 years! I have nothing to hide. You want to investigate me? Fine, do it.”  
  
“Now gentle mammals, I believe we’re getting off on the wrong hoof here,” the mayor spoke up. “Chief, no one doubts your dedication to the city, but it stands to reason that something is going on here, and all I would like is a pair of mammals to look into it.”  
  
Chief Bogo could feel his migraine getting worse, and a small feeling of dread was building in the pit of his stomach. “Fine; I take it you already have mammals in mind?”  
  
The mayor nodded. “Judith and Nicholas Wilde.”  



	8. Episode 8: 3 minutes and 17 seconds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks go to lilwashu76 once again for her near tireless editing efforts and my press-ganged beta readers. Without all you guys this story wouldn't be nearly as good as it is.

# Episode 8: 3 minutes and 17 seconds  


  
“Trust I see and I find in you  
Every day for us something new  
Open mind for a different view  
And nothing else matters”  
Nothing Else Matters ~ Metallica  
  
Judy stood in the spacious and well-appointed kitchen, the smell of freshly baking chocolate chip cookies filled the air. The kitchen was lit with the bright warm rays of the mid-afternoon sun and playful laughter could be heard from the yard outside. The lights dimmed and brightened as if they had a pulse.  
  
She turned and looked to the living room space on the other side of the kitchen island. A pair of guitars hung on the back wall of the living room; a small stack of speakers with an amplifier on top of them sat on the floor directly underneath. The rest of the room was decorated in warm pastels with paintings of country fields and select pieces of their children’s artwork hung lovingly in frames.  
  
Beep beep, chimed the timer for the cookies. She frowned slightly as she slipped on an oven mitt and opened the oven. The heat washed over her face briefly as she pulled out the cookie sheet full of perfectly baked chocolate chip cookies. The delicious aroma instantly made her mouth water, as she first lifted the oven door most of the way closed then bumped it shut with a swing of her hip.  
  
“Mommy!” came a cry, heralded by the patterning of paws on bare hardwood and the sliding of the patio door. Judy froze momentarily as she moved cookies from the tray to cooling racks on the counter. Cotton and another bunny about the same age, with light grey almost white fur and striking deep blue eyes, Jill, the name popped into her mind almost instantly. The third kit hung back shyly maybe a year or two older than Cotton and Jill. He was a young fox tod, bright orangish-red fur with a white underbelly, and white tips of his ears and tail; John, Judy’s mind named him.  
  
“Mo-om, are the cookies ready yet?” Cotton and Jill said almost in unison. “When is Dad going to be home? He said he would play some Uber Smash Pack with us,” John asked.  
  
“Your father…” Judy froze again for a moment as her eyes tracked down to her left paw where her engagement and wedding band from Nick still occupied her finger. A familiar feeling of warmth and love washed over her. “I’m sure he’ll be home soon,” Judy said. “The cookies just need a few minutes to cool, girls, I'm sure you can wait just a few more minutes.”  
  
“Awww… Mo-om please?” Cotton and Jill asked almost simultaneously.  
  
“You two can wait a few more minutes, or you'll burn your mouths….” Judy explained.  
  
Her ears perked up, and her nose twitched as she heard the ‘thunk, thunk’ sound of the garage door going up. “That's…” She frowned as her nose twitched some more.  
  
“Mom? What wrong its just the garage door; Dad’s home,” John said.  
  
Almost on cue, Nick walked in through a door that Judy assumed connected to the garage. He was dress sharply in a dark grey suit, white shirt, and a purple tie. He carried a black briefcase. She frowned slightly as she had never seen him carry a briefcase before. All three kits ran to him, with Cotton squealing, “Daddy!” as she leaped into his arms.  
  
Judy smiled as he hugged Cotton, then knelt down and hugged all his kits. _He's such a good father,_ she thought to herself as she slipped the last of cookies into the oven.  
  
“Mmmmm, something smells good,” she heard Nick say.  
  
“Mommy made cookies!” Cotton said excitedly.  
  
“But she won't let us have one yet…” Jill said sadly.  
  
“Only because you'll stuff it into your mouth whole and burn your tongue again,” John explained.  
  
“Your mommy is a wise bunny, and you should listen to her. But I bet they’re cool enough now that you can have one,” Nick said as he put Cotton back onto the floor and stood up.  
  
Judy blinked as the lights in the kitchen became way too bright, and she got slightly dizzy as she placed her paws on the counter.  
  
“You ok Fluff? Please be ok,” Nick said worriedly.  
  
“I’m fine Slick, just a little dizzy is all. How was your day at work?” Judy asked.  
  
“We got the building,” Nick informed her.  
  
“Really?” Judy asked.  
  
“Yeah, the city ended up having to do eminent domain, as there are no living relatives of your old landlady. But the land management council is on board with us tearing it down to build a new community center in its place,” Nick said as he picked up one of the cookies. “Now you wouldn't know of any smart, capable rabbits that could manage the project for me?”

  
“I dunno Slick, who would watch the kits?” she asked.  
  
“Oh, I'm sure Daisy wouldn't mind too much, and didn't Miss Vincent down the street start a daycare?” Nick asked. “You could always just work from the office until the kids are out of school, then work from home. I happen to know your boss would agree to that,” Nick added with a sly wink.  
  
“Would he now?” Judy asked with a playful grin as she took a bite of one the cookies and frowned. She blinked as flashes of cream colored fur filled her vision momentarily. Her mouth was horribly dry, and her nose suddenly full of the scent of Nick mixed with the distant smell of bleach.  
  
“These cookies are great, Mom!” Cotton yelled from the living room.  
  
“Yeah, these are perfect!” Jill exclaimed as Judy smacked her mouth dryly.  
  
“Who else is going to help me test the sturdiness of my desk?” Nick asked worriedly. “You ok Fluff?”  
  
“Niiiiick, not in front of the kits!” Judy slurred sleepily as her paws against the counter steadied her. The familiar warmth and scent of him filled her senses as she took one more look at the kits in the living room, happily eating cookies.  
  
“Kits?” Nick asked. “Seems like sleepy bun is still feeling nesty.” The relief in his voice was almost palpable.  
  
Judy blinked, her vision filled once again with cream-colored fur; she could feel Nick's paws on her back, and the warmth of his tail draped over her back. “Wer… where am I?” she croaked, her throat and mouth dry, making it hard for her to talk.  
  
“The emergency room of Zootopia General,” Nick answered softly.  
  
“Why….” Judy started, and swallowed, wincing at the dry mouth. “Water please?”  
  
“Ok,” Nick said softly. “Do you think you can sit up? Dr. Treeroot said you'd be thirsty when you woke up.”  
  
“Yes,” Her paws tightened on the fur of his chest when he started to get up. “Don’t go.”  
  
“I’m not going anywhere Fluff, but we need to sit the back of the bed up so you can drink,” Nick explained quietly. He sat up himself and raised the back of the bed for her, helping her get comfortable.  
  
Judy blinked at him. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of jeans. She blinked as a vision of him in a suit and tie flashed before her eyes. She took the offered water and sucked on the straw tentatively. “Sweet cheese and crackers, Nick! Where is your shirt?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick smiled at her smugly and pointed to his shirt on the chair by the bed. “It's over there.” He answered.  
  
“Why is it on the chair and not on you?” Judy demanded.  
  
“Well, Dr. Treeroot said I should make you as comfortable as I could, as rabbits don't wake up well in strange places. He seemed to think that my scent would keep you calm as you woke up.” Nick shrugged. “Considering I didn't get kicked across the room when you woke up? I think it worked.”  
  
Judy looked down and sighed relieved that her clothes were still on and took another sip of water. “What happened?”  
  
“What do you remember?” Nick asked as he slid off of the bed and picked up his shirt.  
Judy watched him as her heart rate increased and her eyes darted around the enclosed space. “I….” Judy paused for a moment as she searched through her memories and tried to control her breathing. “I remember walking with you to the firing range….”  
  
“Do you remember what happened while I qualified?” Nick probed gently.  
  
“Major wanted to….” Judy paused and frowned. “She wanted my help in your test I said no and…”  
  
“And what, Fluff?” Nick asked as he slid his t-shirt back on.  
  
“I woke up here,” Judy said confused. “Nick, what happened?”  
  
“I don’t know myself yet; I was given a note for the test saying you had been abducted along with the mayor and I was to save you.” Nick shrugged. “I found you in one of the rooms of the close quarters combat training building.”  
  
“Did you…” Judy started to ask.  
  
Nick shook his head. “No, I didn’t hurt anyone.” He grinned. “But I may owe one of the SWAT wolves a new pair of pants.”  
  
Judy stared at Nick unamused. “What did you do?”  
  
“I was worried, ok?” Nick attempted to deflect.  
  
“Nick…”  
  
“Ok, ok, I just growled a lot showed a bunch of teeth and herded the guy out the door,” Nick explained. “He should have worn the brown pants today.”  
  
“So no biting anyone or flying off the deep end?” Judy asked, and Nick shook his head. “Good, I was worried for a moment.”  
  
Nick rubbed the back of his neck. “Seriously, though,” He looked into her eyes. “I’m glad you’re ok, Fluff.”  
  
“I…” Judy started and was interrupted.  
  
“How are my two favorite patients doing?” Dr. Treeroot asked as he walked into the room. “Mrs. Wilde, it's wonderful to see you sitting up and being among the conscious once again.”  
  
“I’m feeling much better thank you, doctor,” Judy looked to Nick. “But we are still a little fuzzy on the details.”  
  
“It would give me great joey if I could fill in what I know Mrs. Wilde,” Dr. Treeroot said with a smile.  
  
Nick grinned slightly.  
  
“Why did I end up here?” Judy asked.  
  
Dr. Treeroot flipped through the chart in his paws. “Well, let me be the bearer of enlightenment, Mrs. Wilde. According to your toxicology report, you were shot with a 1.5 cc mixture diazepam, acepromazine, and domitor or a police issue tranquilizer dart. Another 0.2 cc of this mixture and I am afraid we wouldn’t be having this conversation at the moment.”  
  
“You mean…”  
  
“Yes Ma’am,” Dr. Treeroot said somberly. “All the top-koalaty care wouldn’t have mattered. I have already given this information over to Chief Bogo who assured me that it would be used to press charges. I treated you with an injection of vitamin B-12; don't worry, what your body doesn't use you’ll pass.”  
  
Judy nodded and looked down at her paws; her nose twitched.  
  
“Now, don't worry, I don't see there being any lasting side effects, but just in case, I’ve scheduled you to have some lab work done in two days. I advise you to go home, eat some koalaty food, and get plenty of rest.”  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this breaking news,” Peter Moosebridge said into the camera. “At 1550 this afternoon, ZPD Chief Adrian Bogo arrested Mayor Edmonton Nutcache on conspiracy to commit murder and blackmail charges. District Attorney Luke Fisher had this to say.”  
  
The camera cut to Luke Fisher standing on top of a podium meant for larger mammals in front of city hall. “I wish I could say that the events of today were a fluke, but sadly the recent past of our city has shown it is not. Corruption, hate, and greed has wormed its way into the great cornerstone institutions of our fair city. From the Mayor's office all the way down to even our institutions of learning, there are mammals that will take money, drugs, or even…” DA Fisher shook his head, looking sad, before he took a deep breath and looked into the cameras once again. His sea green eyes seemed to harden and show a steely resolve. “We need to rout out this cancerous infection that has wormed its way into our city’s core. That is why I will work tirelessly in the coming days with Mayor Coltson and Chief Bogo to establish an office to do just that.”  
  
The camera cut back to Fabine Growly and Peter Moosebridge in the studio.  
  
“Sources inside the ZPD and City Hall have declined to comment at this time; we will report when more information becomes available.” Fabine Growly said into the camera.  
  
“From the sound of his speech, it almost seemed like Luke Fisher was announcing a campaign bid for the mayor's office,” Peter Moosebridge said.  
  
Martin stared out over the skyline of Zoo York. The smaller skyscrapers and city spread out at his feet. He snorted, his hot breath momentarily fogging up the glass of the window. “Mute the stupid tv,” he ordered.  
  
The sound from the tv was abruptly cut as the anchors speculated if the DA was going to make a run for mayor or not.  
  
“What do we know about what happened?” Martin asked.  
  
“Nutcache tried to get cute and used his contacts with our organization to dig up some dirt on one of the instructors at the academy and maybe have almost killed the bunny cop.” Allen Monax reported. “Shame they didn’t succeed.”  
  
“Yes, yes, a shame,” Martin agreed. “This office that Fisher wants to start, what do we know about it?”  
  
“Nothing as of yet; he has a meeting with now Mayor Coltson and Chief Bogo in an hour,” his rabbit advisor informed him.  
  
“I don't think this is anything to worry about. We’ve weathered worse before. Remember two years ago in Mewami?” Allen reminded him.  
  
“You should have just put a bullet in their heads when you had the chance,” The rabbit said flatly.  
  
“Perhaps….” Martin said. “What do we know of Mayor Coltson?”  
  
“What we do know is useless as blackmail material,” the rabbit answered. “The mammals that care most already know; besides, he's retiring in 6 months after a new Mayor is elected.”  
  
“No aspirations of power then?” Martin asked.  
  
“I think his goals have already been reached and he would like to retire peacefully with his herd,” Allen answered.  
  
“Fine, who do we have on the council that would like a promotion?” Martin asked.  
  
“We will have to vet that carefully and make sure they are amenable to our needs,” Allen answered carefully.  
  
“Get it done. I want a name on my desk by the end of the week,” Martin ordered.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Skye stared through the conference room window at the buck. Months had passed since she last seen him in the hospital. His eyes were wrapped over in bandages, but the edges of the hideous scars that now ran diagonally across the bucks face stretched beyond the top and bottom of the bandages. His fur was now a solid shade of white as the black stripes that had been dyed into his fur had been allowed to fade. He was dressed sharply in a pressed white shirt with the collar unbuttoned with a blue sports jacket and slacks. At his right paw side sat an aging doe in a pinstripe power suit, and on his left sat a whitetail deer buck with an impressive 14 point rack dressed in a black suit.  
  
“You don't have to do this Miss Lukraak; we have enough to easily put him away for the next couple of decades,” DA Luke Fisher said from her side.  
  
“You indicated that this had more to do with the case my cousin was working before the ambush,” Skye stated flatly.  
  
“Mr. Savage’s lawyer indicated that Mr. Savage wishes to turn state's evidence against Martin Flannigan,” DA Fisher explained. “But he wouldn’t even give us a hint at what information he might have without talking to you first.”  
  
Skye frowned. “I told you everything I had overheard.”  
  
“While that has been helpful for building a case against him, the defense could argue that it is hearsay, and that would drag the how you heard what you did out into public.” DA Fisher looked up at her is sea green eyes looked compassionate. “Miss Lukraak, I’ll be honest with you. I have no problem prosecuting this, but it will drag not just him but you and potentially Mrs. Wilde through the mud as well.”  
  
“What about my cousin?” Skye asked as she turned her attention from the window to the otter beside her.  
  
“Nicholas Wilde was never guilty of anything. Laws passed after it came out that the Night Howler victims were in drugged states that they cannot be prosecuted or held civilly liable for something they did while under the influence of the Night Howler serum,” DA Fisher explained. “It was done to protect them legally and financially for something they had no control over.”  
  
Skye sighed and turned back to the window. “I take it he’ll get reduced charges.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“What then?” she asked sharply.  
  
“Conspiracy and Sexual Assault,” DA Fisher answered. “He’ll have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and is currently looking at four years of house arrest with a GPS tracking device.”  
  
“So he'll get to be in a gilded cage?” Skye asked.  
  
“He won't be allowed to walk the streets, and it won't put a burden on our prison system to try to keep him safe.”  
  
Skye snorted. “Sorry if I don’t feel pity for him.”  
  
“You said you loved him,” Da Fisher pointed out.  
  
She turned and looked down at him once again. “Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you can’t hate them as well, or at least hate what they have become,” Skye said just before she turned back to the window. “I have seen many sides of Jack Savage, and honestly I didn't think he had it in him to go as far as he did.”  
  
“You say that even after…” DA Fisher started.  
  
“Everything he has done to me?” Skye asked. “Yes, I do; I was young, naive, and stupid.”  
  
“So will you meet with him?”  
  
“I’m here ain't I?” Skye asked. “But only with him, I know what kind of mammal his mother is, and I just don't want to face that right now.”  
  
Luke Fisher swallowed nervously as he walked toward the door.  
  
“Don’t worry Mr. Fisher,” Skye said after him. “You’re the wrong species for her to hate.”  
  
He stopped and studied the vixen momentarily. His eyes searched hers as he got a great sense of sadness from the vixen. _I hate this case,_ he thought to himself as he opened the door to the conference room. _No winners, no losers, just victims. Victims of either greed, lust, or circumstance._  
  
Luke noticed the aging doe’s fur was more silver now than white as he pushed through the conference room door. “I can't believe you want to meet with that harlot! You know there’s a reason they’re called vixens! I bet she was the ringleader in all of this; they should be going after her not you, you’re famous. Don’t they know who you are?” he heard her ask.  
  
“Mother, how many times have I asked you not to call her that? If you're going to call Skye a whore call her a whore but using harlot makes you sound uppity,” Jack said to his mother. “Besides, Skye had nothing to do with my predicament; she tried more than once to talk me out of my course of action.” Jack’s ears turned to the sound of the opening door.  
  
“I find myself in the rare position of agreeing with a defendant, Mrs. Savage,” Luke said. “Miss Lukraak had nothing to do with your son’s current legal or health problems.”  
  
“I’m not a Savage, sir. I'm a Dawnson, Nancy Dawnson.” Jack's mother said, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the otter DA. “I know exactly who's to blame for my son's current problems. It's that whore Judy Hopps, or whatever she calls herself these days. My word, spreading her legs for a fox….”  
  
“MOTHER, ENOUGH!” Jack yelled as he slammed his fist down against the table, causing it to shake slightly. “Mr. Fisher, I take it Skye is here?”  
  
“She is, and she has agreed to speak with you,” Luke Fisher said solemnly. “But she wishes only to speak to you alone.”  
  
“That whore just wants to get her claws deeper into…” Nancy Dawnson started.  
  
“Mother, I said enough!” Jack said threateningly. “Of course Mr. Fisher. I'm sure after Skye and I have our conversation that my legal counsel and we can hammer out the rest of our agreement?”  
  
“I would be remiss, Mr. Savage, in stating that I am unsure of whatever else you may be able to provide would be of use to my investigators,” Mr. Fisher said.  
  
“Then I am sure our agreement will hinge on the usefulness of my information,” Jack said expectantly.  
  
“Of course. Mrs. Dawnson and Mr. Vanderbucken if you'll come with me Miss Lukraak will be in shortly to speak with Mr. Savage.” Luke explained.  
  
“If you think I’m leaving my son with that….” Nancy started.  
  
“Mother, if you don't shut up this instant I’m cutting off your funds!” Jack said forcefully.  
  
“Jack!” Nancy exclaimed. “That is not how I raised you to speak to your mother!”  
  
“Yes, mother, but if you insist on acting like a petulant child, then you shall be treated as such,” Jack explained.  
  
“I have to agree with your mother; you shouldn’t be left here alone with Miss Lukraak….” Mr. Vanderbucken started.  
  
“Gregory, you're only saying that because you’re getting paid by the hour to sit here with me. Go wait with my mother and you can still bill the hour to me regardless,” Jack said firmly.  
  
Jack’s ears turned as he heard the sounds of chairs scraping across the cheap linoleum flooring. _My life has taken a sudden turn,_ he thought to himself as he folded his paws in front of him on the table. _We really don't understand how much we take sight for granted until we lose it._  
  
“If she attacks you….” Nancy Dawnson started.  
  
“Mother, I will be fine. Skye won't hurt me,” Jack said quietly.  
  
“Ok dear, but if she does…” his mother started.  
  
“Then I'll try to die with whatever dignity is left to me,” Jack said, cutting her off.  
  
Nancy Dawnson huffed at her son as she followed Mr. Vanderbucken and Luke Fisher out of the door.  
  
“Miss Lukraak will be in shortly,” Luke Fisher said as he closed the door to the conference room.  
  
Jack sat in silence his ears rotating left and right. _Normally_ _I’d_ _fidget with my phone,_ he thought ruefully to himself. _But now all_ _I’m_ _left with is my own thoughts._  
  
His ears turned to the sound of the door once again opening and soft click of claws against the cheap linoleum flooring. Jack knew it was Skye before she even said a word. Her scent rolled over him, a scent that he had rolled in, been covered and comforted by for years. It smelled like a blend of violets and mint on a cold winter day. _Another thing I took for granted,_ Jack sadly thought to himself.  
  
“Hello, Skye,” Jack said softly.  
  
“Jack.” Skye greeted him tersely as she crossed her arms across her chest, not bothering to sit down. “What do you want?”  
  
“To talk,” Jack answered.  
  
“Then talk; I have better things to do than waste time with the likes of you,” Skye told him.  
  
“I’m sorry, Skye,” Jack said simply.  
  
“For what, Jack?” Skye said. “You have a lot to be sorry for, so you'll need to be a tad more specific.”  
  
Jack swallowed nervously. “I’m sorry for what I did to you years ago. I’m sorry for not taking your advice more seriously and not letting Miss Hopps go.”  
  
“What were you thinking, Jack? Get a little bunny dick in her, and she’ll follow you home?” Skye venomously said as she cut him off. “Or were you hoping to brag in prison that you got the great Judy Hopps pregnant?”  
  
“Skye...I…” Jack started.  
  
“I gave you everything!” Skye all but yelled at him. “I did everything you asked. If she had actually wanted into our family I would have accepted her. But no, you couldn't take no for an answer, just like you didn't take it years ago!”  
  
“I’m sorry…” Jack said softly.  
  
“What is this supposed to be Jack, you half-heartedly apologize, and I fall back into your bed?” Skye asked. “News flash for you Jack, your ship is sunk, Zooney wants nothing to do with you and with how toxic your name is in the media right now. You’ll be lucky to do condom commercials in Mexicat.” Skye paused, staring at him. “That is, if whatever information you think you have is worth the deal the District Attorney is going to float you, and even then you’ll have four years to rot in your gilded cage alone.”  
  
“Skye...I’m….”  
  
“That's not even the worst of it,” Skye said. “You told me there would be riots in the streets if a fox and rabbit got married. But guess what?” She paused for a second. “My cousin, Nick, he married her. And you know what the city did?”  
  
Jack swallowed.  
  
“THE CITY SHRUGGED!” Skye yelled as tears started to pour down her face.  
  
“I’m sorry…” Jack whispered.  
  
Skye stared at him for a moment, her chest rising and falling shakily as she tried to hold back her tears. “So am I Jack. Goodbye,” Skye said with finality as she turned and walked back out of the conference room door leaving it open behind her.  
  
“Skye, please wait!” Jack called after her. He could hear the clicking of her claws as they retreated down the hallway. “I love you.” His ears drooped, unsure if she heard him as he rested his head on his paws against the table. His shredded tear ducts were making even the cathartic release of tears impossible. Regardless, his shoulders shook as her words from months prior rang in his ears, _“My cousin will take everything from you.”_  
  
Skye’s back thumped against the wall by the elevators. Her heart hammered in her chest as tears soaked the fur of her cheeks, making it a matted mess. Her tail curled around her own thighs as she leaned her head back against the wall. _Why did he have to say that?_ she thought to herself.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Bonnie sat in her warren office. The walls painted a light, soothing blue with multitudes of pictures hung on the wall. Many of them depicted the numerous triumphs of her kits and grand kits. Awards won, graduations, homecoming and prom pictures, and even recently she added a picture of a fox holding a rabbit kit on a railway platform. The desk was neat and clean like most of the rest of the warren she managed.  
  
Her paws shook slightly with a feeling of dread as she held the envelope emblazoned in the upper right corner with the seal of the Tri Burrows County Social Services Office. Steeling her nerves, she picked up the letter opener on her desk and opened the envelope. She pulled out the single piece of paper from the envelope and unfolded it.  
  
To: Mr. and Mrs. Hopps  
From: Sara Cropton  
Tri Burrow County Social Services  
A113 Cupertino Lane  
Podunk 977654  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Hopps,  
  
On September 29th, 2017 it was entered into the Medical Examiners System (MES) that one Cotton Marie Hopps (DOB Mar 7, 2012) sustained injuries from falling down an abandoned well. While we at this office understand that farming is a dangerous and challenging profession we are concerned not just for Cotton’s safety but the safety of all 275 registered kits to your family.  
  
A Case Worker will be in contact with you in the next 2 to 3 weeks. Please note that this investigation will affect other families that live on the property as well.  
  
Also be advised if further injury occurs to Cotton Marie Hopps (DOB Mar 7, 2012) we may be forced to remove her from your warren as well as end your stipend of $1235.62 a month.  
  
Sincerely  
Sara Cropton  
  
Bonnie blinked and reread the letter again. Her eyes narrowed as she read the words Medical Examiners System. Her paw shot over and slapped the button for the warrens intercom system. “CLARA ANNABEL HOPPS GET YOUR FLUFFY TAIL TO MY OFFICE!” she yelled.  
  
Bonnie stood from her desk and paced back and forth across the small space of her office. Her heart pounded in her chest as her paws trembled. _Did she report it? What will they do what will they look for? Will they TAKE MY BABIES?!_ Her mind rapid-fired the questions at herself.  
  
“Mom?” Clara asked as she huffed, having clearly run from her clinic deeper inside the warren. “What's wrong?”  
  
“What in Serendipity’s name were you thinking with this?” Bonnie asked as she all but flung the letter from the state at her daughter.  
  
Clara frowned as she walked over and picked up the letter on the floor and started to read it. Her face changed slowly from confusion to fear. “Mom….”  
  
“What did you do?” Bonnie asked, somehow making each word sound like she was passing judgment.  
  
“I had to input her symptoms into the system…..” Clara started.  
  
“Why?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Clara frowned and swallowed nervously. “She was so cold, Mom.” Clara put the letter down onto the desk. “There was a high likelihood Cotton was going to go into shock, and if we needed a life flight for her to the city, then it needed to be entered into the system. But beyond that, state regulations require me to input all injuries that need more attention than a band-aid.”  
  
“We’ve had a lot of injuries, even a few deaths, and the state has never looked into it before,” Bonnie said. “Why now?”  
  
“My guess would be increased attention to all rabbit families after the Leaperson trial….” Clara stated.  
  
Bonnie looked at Clara and slumped down into her chair. “I’m sorry Clara, it's just…”  
  
“I’m sure it will be ok, Mom,” Clara said. “I bet they talk with Cotton about what happened, and then they’ll want to talk with Nick and Judy about finding her, and me about her medical care.” Clara paused. “Dad needs to fix that well though…”  
  
Bonnie nodded. “I think there are a lot of things that are going to be needing immediate attention.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy sighed as she looked over at Nick, who was driving their cruiser through the streets of the city toward the Precinct 1 building. The setting sun bathed his features in a warm flight and set his winter coat ablaze with a tone that seemed to radiate warmth. “What do you think the Chief wants?”  
  
“He didn’t say,” Nick answered. “Just called and told us to get our tails in his office as soon as possible.”  
  
“He probably just wants to get our side of what happened for the report,” Judy said as she did her best to hide her nervousness.  
  
Nick’s ears perked up a bit as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “What's on your mind, Carrots?”  
  
“It’s just…” Judy looked down at her paws in her lap. “I trusted her,” she said quietly. “No, not just trust, I looked up to her. She was a role model for what I wanted to be as a cop, and she….”  
  
Nick nodded solemnly. “I understand, Fluff.”  
  
“If Major can do….” Judy trailed off as she looked out the window not really liking where her train of thought was taking her.  
  
“You’re wondering who else we can trust,” Nick said softly.  
  
Judy nodded in the passenger seat. “Do you think Bogo knew?”  
  
“I have a hard time believing that Buffalo Butt would send us into a trap,” Nick said. “He might be a bit gruff with all of us, but he treats his officers like a mother hen on your family farm.”  
  
“I think you’re right,” Judy said hopefully. Nick got the impression that she didn’t believe that.  
  
“Either way, I doubt we’ll find out tonight,” Nick said as the scenery changed upon entering the city center.  
  
Nick pulled into the ZPD parking lot and found a parking spot for their cruiser. The silence in the car after the engine was shut down was almost deafening. Judy’s nose twitched nervously. Nick looked over at her as she looked up at the large building in front of them through the glass. Her nose twitched in the cute way it did when she got nervous.  
  
Nick looked up at the building with her and reached over to touch her knee. “It’ll be ok, Judy. I’m not leaving you alone again.”  
  
Judy placed her paw on his as her face took on a determined look about it. “I’ll be ok.”  
  
Nick studied her face for a moment and nodded. “Ok, let's go see what Chief Buffalo Butt wants. Then we can go home; maybe I’ll make pierogies for dinner.” Nick grinned at her.”After all, Dr. Treeroot said you needed to eat some top koalaity food.”  
  
“NICK!” Judy hissed at him and smacked him in that arm, but barely hid her grin at the awful pun.  
  
“What? I’m just following the good doctor's orders. He said to take you home and for you to get plenty of rest and top koalaity food,” Nick said, grinning as he opened the driver side door. “Those exact words Fluff. Now I don't know about you, but I won't go against the doctor's orders.”  
  
“You’re only saying that because you happen to like his sense of humor,” Judy shot back.  
  
“I can’t help it if his humor is koalafied as top notch,” Nick said.  
  
Judy shook her head and cracked the barest of grins. She looked up at the darkening evening sky and sent a silent prayer up. _Thank you Serendipity for his awful sense of humor._ She closed the door of the cruiser and walked around the front.  
  
As the pair walked to the front of the building and the stairs, Nick stepped a bit closer to her and wrapped his tail around her waist as they walked. She smiled and took comfort in the close proximity of him. His gait was measured and fluid and graceful, but also at a comfortable walking pace for her.  
  
Judy stepped into the lobby as Nick held the door open for her. The lights in the lobby had been dimmed to save power, except over the front desk where an aging skunk sat in a crisply pressed ZPD uniform. The clacking of a keyboard could be heard across the expanse of the lobby.  
  
“Hey, Marv,” Nick greeted as they walked past the dispatch desk. Judy stepped closer to Nick and felt the tip of his tail flick slightly against her stomach.  
  
“Nick, Judy! Congratulations on the nuptials!” Marv greeted back. “How's married life treating you?”  
  
“It's great! She really knows how to keep me in line,” Nick said. “Would love to talk, but Chief Buffalo Butt is expecting us.”  
  
“Yeah, I figured; been reading the reports from the day shift, crazy stuff. You two take care of each other, ok?” Marv asked kindly.  
  
“You bet, buddy,” Nick answered as he pressed the button for the elevator. “You ok, Carrots?” Nick asked softly.  
  
“I,” Judy paused as she took a ragged breath. “I just want to go home.”  
  
“Yeah, I know how you feel. I have no idea what the Chief wanted that couldn’t wait until the morning with the day we’ve had,” Nick said as they stepped into the elevator.  
  
Judy’s heart thundered in her chest as Nick knocked on the Chief's door and the gruff voice rang out, “Enter,” almost as soon as Nick's knuckles rapped on it. The sun had long since sunk below the level of the city skyline, but the reflected light from the glass and concrete buildings surrounding the city center still painted the office in oranges and reds. It cast Chief Bogo into an ominous shadow as Judy and Nick climbed up into the chair meant for a more massive mammal. Nick's tail curled around behind her and the tip of it rested comfortingly in her lap. Her nose twitched nervously as she felt Nick's tail puff slightly in her lap. She started to pet it to reassure him gently that she was ok.  
  
“Ursula Friedkin is currently sitting in a holding cell downstairs; we are unsure of where to place her permanently as San Siberia might be out of the question at the moment,” Chief Bogo stated without preamble.  
  
Judy nodded and started to open her mouth to ask a question when Nick asked it for her. “Why did she do it?”  
  
“She was bribed by Mayor Nutcache to go against my orders. I had sent out a message last night canceling the test, but Mayor Nutcache went forward with it anyway,” Bogo answered. “I apologize for putting you two into that situation; I didn’t think it would go as far as it did.”  
  
Nick snorted as Judy’s eyes narrowed and she sized up the large cape buffalo. “Why would you cancel it?” she asked as her nose twitched. _I'm_ _probably_ _not going to like this answer,_ she thought to herself.  
  
“I asked his doctor for his opinion on the matter,” Bogo answered truthfully.  
  
“And what did my expertly koalafied doctor have to say on the matter?” Nick asked as his body tensed.  
  
Judy studied Nick’s body language for a moment. His tail was poofed dangerously in her lap; while warm, it was meant to strike a clear warning to anyone else. His ears were plastered back to his skull tightly, his hackles raised slightly, and his eyes never left Bogo.  
  
“He stated that deliberately provoking a mammal to protect his mate, in general, was a bad idea.” Bogo paused for a moment, studying the fox in front of him for a moment. The sense of danger that rolled off the smaller male was surprising. As was the way that Nick had subtly placed himself between Bogo and Judy. “He said that doing so to a mammal with your….condition would be tantamount to shooting another mammal with night howler.”  
  
“You knew…..” Judy said quietly and accusingly. “IF you knew, then why didn't you call us and TELL US that the stupid stress test was off?”  
  
Nick closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he became attentively aware of the tension in the room and the effect it was having on him. He waved a paw between the three of them. “This is all well and good, but you didn’t call us here to tell us what happened; that could have waited until tomorrow,” Nick said, suddenly wanting this to get to the point.  
  
Bogo snorted as he looked down at them, seeing the tension leave Nick slowly, but kept a wary eye on him. “You’re being reassigned,” he stated flatly.  
  
“WHAT!?” Judy yelled. “But we worked so hard to get here…..”  
  
“Let me explain Ho… Wi…” He waved a hoof at Judy. “Mayor Coltson and the District Attorney, against my recommendation, are starting a new office to look into corruption inside the ZPD. The Mayor asked for you two directly.”  
  
“Wait, you want us to go on, what, a witch hunt inside of the ZPD?” Nick asked. “Chief, after that, no one on the force would trust us.”  
  
Bogo squeezed his eyes shut as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Be that as it may, this is a witch hunt that has been a long time coming.” Bogo snorted as he opened his eyes once again. “While I may be remiss on the how, I do agree there are troubling trends inside the ZPD,” Bogo admitted. “You two were on suspension just over three months; in that time frame, we have barely moved forward on a case that the two of you worked for less than that time. Files in the system have been edited, notes have disappeared. Leads have not panned out, or were acted on too late to be of use.”  
  
Judy’s nose twitched as her paws gripped Nick’s tail lightly.  
  
“Then the mess with Nutcache and Ursula.” Judy blinked in surprise at Bogo readily using someone's first name. The reds and oranges that bathed the room had slowly darkened to deep red and black.  
  
“Why us?” Judy asked as she willed her paws open and went back to stroking Nick's tail. “We’ve been on the force for less time than almost anyone. So why us?”  
  
Bogo stared into Judy’s eyes. “I trust your integrity, and to look below the surface and find the underlying problems.”  
  
“Even if it means we investigate you?” Judy asked.  
  
“I hope you do, I have nothing to hi…” Bogo started.  
  
“Fourteen years ago, you threatened a down on his luck fox with jail time for something that wasn't even against the law. Just so he would give you a ‘donation’ to your dinner fund,” Judy interrupted him accusingly. “So before you say you have nothing to hide, you need to think very carefully about your past actions ‘Chief.’”  
  
“How…” Chief Bogo started to ask, just as the concerned looked on Nick's face turned smug.  
  
Judy stared up at Chief Bogo before sliding off of the chair. “I take it we’re to report to the District Attorney's Office tomorrow?”  
  
“Yes,” Bogo answered as he felt his headache worsen into a migraine.  
  
“Come on Slick, let's go home,” Judy said as she walked toward the door. Nick waved at the Chief as he followed her out the door. She waited just long enough for him to catch back up and wrap his tail around her waist.  
  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“He knew,” Judy mumbled as she looked out the car window.  
  
“Maybe,” Nick said as he drove them through the heart of downtown toward home. “I have a hard time thinking that the Chief knew that the Major could have been bought and not doing anything about it.”  
  
Judy looked over at him. “Maybe he didn’t,” she admitted softly. “Nick….I…” Her voice broke as her nose twitched and her eyes welled up with tears she had been fighting all day to hold back.  
  
Nick looked over at Judy when her voice broke and quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road and placed it in park. Judy slapped the release of the seat belt and quickly crawled over the center console and into his lap. The dam holding back her tears broke as soon as his arms wrapped around her.  
  
“I...I…’ Judy tried to get out as she sobbed into his chest. His clothes reeked of gun powder and sweat but still smelled deeply of violets.  
  
Nick gently stroked her back. “Shhh, it's ok, Judy,” he told her softly as his nose pressed between her ears. “It’s ok, you are ok.”  
  
“I trusted her,” Judy said after a few minutes. “She almost killed me, and I trusted her.”  
  
Nick's paws held her gently. “I’m sorry, it happened. But I’ll never hurt you,” he said softly.  
  
Judy took a deep shuddering breath. “I know, I’m just being a dumb bunny.”  
  
“Never say that, Fluff. You are not dumb for feeling the way you do after a day like today,” Nick told her softly as his paw gently stroked down her ears.  
  
Judy rested her head against his chest listening to his heartbeat, slow steady and constant. Nick could feel her paws grip the fabric of his shirt and the thick fur underneath it. His paw kept moving over the velvety soft fur of her ears as he murmured to her.  
  
“I love you,” Judy said softly after a few minutes.  
  
“I love you too.” Nick tightened his arm around her. “I’m sorry about today,” he said softly.  
  
“I’ll be ok, I just want to go home,” Judy replied, still holding onto his chest.  
  
Nick smiled as he held her and said, “Ok.” But neither of them moved to break the connection. She made a soft humming sound as he kept his paw running over her ears. Time passed as neither of them moved except for his paw that kept gently stroking her ears. Traffic passed the car as the two took comfort in each other's embrace.  
  
A light tap on the glass broke the two out of their trance and Nick looked up just now noticing the flashing red and blue lights behind them.  
  
“Sweet cheese and crackers Nick, how long have we been sitting here?” she asked.  
  
“Not that long,” answered Nick as he reached over and pressed the button for the power window. “Maybe 10 or 15 minutes?”  
  
Nick breathed a silent sigh of relief as Wolford leaned down and looked into the car. “Mr. and Mrs. Wilde, is everything ok this evening?” the brown and white wolf officer asked with a smile on his muzzle. “Congratulations, by the way.”  
  
Judy’s nose twitched nervously at the officer, and her paws subtly gripped Nick's shirt tighter.  
  
“Yeah, everything’s fine, just the misses here has had a rough day,” Nick answered.  
  
“Right we had… umm heard about that. I honestly don't know what to say. Just wanted to make sure everything was ok; you’d been parked here for a while…” Wolford said nervously.  
  
“Yeah, we’re fine Wolfy. Matter of fact, we are about to head home, right Carrots?” Nick asked her.  
  
“Yeah, yeah we are,” Judy said as she slowly pried her paws from Nick's shirt.  
  
“Judy, I’m sorry about…” Wolford paused. “About what happened today; it shouldn't have ever happened.”  
  
“You heard?” Judy asked.  
  
“Yeah, Chief arrested her in his office and had Higgins take her down to booking.” Wolford rubbed the back of his neck. “After that, the rumor mill took off like a jet. It wasn’t until a few hours ago when the Chief filed his initial report that we started to find out what had happened.”  
  
“Oh…” Judy said, her voice worried.  
  
“Hey, look Judy…” Wolford started as Nick eyed him. “Not all of us are like that. McClain and I,” Wolford motioned to his badger partner still in their car. “We would have your back in a heartbeat.”  
  
“Thanks, Brian,” Judy said as she slowly made her way back across the car to the passenger seat. “We should be getting home.”  
  
“Ok guys, drive safe,” Wolford told them as he started to head back to his cruiser. Nick rolled up the window and placed the car into drive.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hot water cascaded down over Nick’s head and shoulders, penetrating the thick layers of his winter coat as the thundering beats of some rock song played over the showers built in bluefang speakers. He wasn’t paying attention to it. _Turned it on more out of habit than actually wanting to listen to it,_ he admitted to himself. _I almost lost her today…._ The thought came unbidden not for the first time since getting into the ambulance at the Academy.  
  
Nick opened his eyes and looked down at the river of dirt, grime, and gunpowder that ran down the drain. A low growl rumbled through his chest as the next thought came rolling darkly in. _I trusted Friedkin._  
  
“Nick, are you ok in there?” Judy called from the bedroom.  
  
“Yeah, I’m fine, Fluff,” Nick called back. His ears perked up at the sound of her sliding off of the bed, and the unmistakable light sounds her paws made on the hardwood floor of the apartment. _Great, now I’ve made her worry,_ he thought to himself.  
  
Nick suppressed a shiver as the shower door opened momentarily. Soft paws touched him gently as she wrapped him in a tight hug.  
  
“It’s ok, Nick. This didn’t just happen to me,” Judy said softly as she pressed her cheek into the soaking wet fur of his chest. “Your instincts must be playing hell with you,” she said quietly, giving voice to the range of emotions he felt.  
  
“I’m supposed to protect you,” Nick said softly.  
  
“You did,” Judy said softly. “You got to me, you removed the threat, you let medical personnel help me.” She grinned and opened her eyes as she looked up at him. “I wish there was video.”  
  
“Why is that?” Nick asked.  
  
“I’m betting you went all savage action star to save your bunny,” she said playfully.  
  
“Maybe I did,” Nick admitted.  
  
“Mmmmm,” Judy moaned softly, her eyes sparkling up at him. “My action hero.”  
  
Nick smiled down at her. “I did my best, but I did nothing that you wouldn’t have done for me.”  
  
Judy reached up and pulled him down, so his muzzle was inches away from hers. “Don't sell yourself too short, Agent Slick,” she said to him with a playful yet sultry tone as she pulled him into a deep passionate kiss. She moaned into his mouth as his paws cupped the cheeks of her firm ass and lifted her. Judy spread her thighs and locked her ankles behind his back.  
  
Judy broke the kiss and looked deep into his eyes grinning. “How about we get cleaned up and dried off?” She grinned at him. “A quickie in the shower is not how I want to reward my hero fox.”  
  
A little while later, freshly washed, dried, and brushed out, Nick followed behind Judy as she led him to their bed. He smiled as he watched the exaggerated sway of her hips and the enticing way her tail twitched as she walked. His eyes slowly traveled up her body as she slowed and turned around before the bed.  
  
Nick let himself be pushed back onto the bed. “Get comfortable, Agent Slick,” Judy told him, with a smile that also lit up her eyes.  
  
“If I'm the Agent, does that make you the femme fatale Bun?” Nick asked playfully as he moved to the center of the bed, watching her. Judy crawled up onto the bed on her paws and knees and walked toward him, her eyes shining brightly in the dim light offered by their bedside lamps.  
  
“Maybe the damsel in distress that wishes to reward her hero properly?” Judy asked as she straddled his upper stomach and bent forward, kissing him passionately once again. Their lips pressed together briefly before they parted and their tongues entwined. Nick felt her paws tighten, gripping the fur of his chest as her small tongue flicked across one of this elongated canines.  
  
Nick felt Judy shudder and could hear her sultry moan into his mouth as his paws traveled up her thighs and once again gripped the firm cheeks of her ass. His right paw slid up her back to pull her down to his chest while his left slid up slightly and groped her teardrop-shaped tail.  
  
Her response was immediate; Nick felt her entire body stiffen in his arms as she broke the kiss and shuddered. Nick grinned at her as he squeezed his left paw ever so slightly but firmly, letting go of her tail as she moaned, “Nick,” at him as he slid the leathery pad of one of his fingers slowly down the upturned curve of her tail and down between the cheeks of her ass.  
  
Nick observed her face as he touched her, his finger slowly sliding down across her most intimate of places until he pushed gently against the entrance to her sex. Judy’s eyes opened slightly as her gaze met his and blushed. _Gods, how can he make me come so undone so easily?_ she asked herself.  
  
Nick grinned down at her, the look of pleasure and excitement clear on her face. Her nose twitched, and she bit her bottom lip slightly as his finger ran down the slickening folds of her sex. He stopped his finger just before it touched her clit and moved back up to her entrance and pressed the tip of his finger against it, slightly parting her folds.  
  
Judy groaned as he teased her. _So beautiful,_ he thought to himself as his finger started to travel back down toward her clit. Nick watched as she shuddered and mewed softly in his arms, her hips raising slightly, trying to get him to touch the nub of her clit.  
  
“Nick…” Judy hissed as he teased her once again.  
  
“Mmmmm, just who is getting the reward here, little bun?” Nick asked his voice husky with his own need.  
  
“Maybe I am the reward,” Judy said, her eyes opening to look up at him as his finger gently rubbed the small space between her entrance and her clit.  
  
“Then truly I have done or will do something great with my life,” Nick said, his eyes full of honest love and desire.  
  
Judy sat up and gently pulled his paw away from her sex. “You're helping me make the world a better place Nick. For now, though lay back and enjoy your reward.”  
  
Nick watched, fascinated, as she slid off of him and down the bed. Her small paw reached down and gently took ahold of his half revealed foxhood. He groaned as her soft velvet paw slowly slid up and down his hardening shaft. His eyes went wide as she leaned over him, her eyes locked on his as she ran her tongue from where his cock emerged from his sheath to the tip. He groaned; the trail of saliva she left on him felt hot.  
  
He watched as she gently pulled his cock into standing upright. Her eyes locked to his as she slowly got up on her knees. The scent of horny bunny permeated the room as his cock pulsed in her paws to the beat of his heart. He groaned as he watched and felt her engulf the head of his cock into her mouth and her small tongue swirl around the tip of it.  
  
Nick paws tight end on the sheets as her paws stroked up the length of his shaft and back down again. He breathed slowly and deeply through his nose as the pleasure she gave him rolled through his body. He opened his eyes as he watched her try to take more of his shaft and groaned every time the head of his cock hit the back of her throat.  
  
Nick whimpered as her mouth left the head of his cock. Judy studied his face for a moment, seeing the barely contained desire and lust for her. His eyes watched her with an intensity that rivaled any she had seen before. Her paws kept moving slowly up and down the length of his shaft.  
  
“So Foxy,” Judy said teasingly. “How do you want me?”  
  
He smiled at the surprised look on her face as he took her paws off his cock. Judy watched in fascination the fluid predatory way Nick moved around her, the tip of his tail flicking playfully at her nose as he fell to his knees behind her. She blushed, her inner ears burning bright red as he took a hold of her hip with his left paw and the back of her neck with the right and bent her over before him. Her prodigious ass and teardrop tail were sticking up into the air, her chest and face pressed against their bed.  
  
Nick moved his right paw from her neck to the base of her ears and pulled back on them. The tug forced her to turn her head and place her chin against the bed instead of cheek and arch her back slightly. He looked down over her as her body ran in a straight line from the tip of her nose to the tip of her tail. He watched as her paws gripped the sheets, bracing herself for what is to come.  
  
Nick watched her face in the full-length mirror across the room as she slowly ran the head of his foxhood down between the cheeks of her ass. He enjoyed the way her face scrunched up at the feel. “Open your eyes,” He told her as he nudged the top of his cock against the opening of her pussy.  
  
Judy’s eyes opened and moaned at the feel of him about to enter her. Their eyes locked in the mirror just before he thrust his length into her body. He growled as he sheathed himself into her hot, wet folds. Her eyes fluttered for a moment, but remained locked onto his.  
  
Nick groaned as he slowly pulled back then thrust forward into her once again, burying his length into the hot, wet, satin vice of her body. His paw left her hip and braced against the bed as he slowly found his pace, thrusting into her body again and again. Judy watched as his eyes closed and his lips pulled back, revealing rows of sharp, pointed teeth. His hot breath washed over the back of her head as he kept thrusting into her body. She pushed back into each of his thrusts, needing this just as much as he did. Needing the physical, carnal pleasure of being alive and taken by her fox. Her eyes closed as the pleasure washed over her body and she clamped down hard on his cock.  
  
Nick groaned at the sensual sounds that emanated from his bunny. Sometimes grunts and moans, other times mews. When her orgasm washed over her, she screamed his name. He started to thrust into her harder and faster, his own need overriding his pace. His knot battered the lips of her sex, demanding entrance.  
  
Judy moaned and hissed, “Yes, knot me” with each thrust into her body, the breath almost knocked from her body each time.  
  
Nick growled deeply as he felt her body relent, his knot starting to press into her folds as he pushed harder with each thrust into her. He could feel his seed boiling inside him.  
  
Judy’s eyes shot open as Nick's paw left her ears and his muzzle clamped down on the nape of her neck at the same time as his knot pressed into her. She could feel the liquid heat as his seed spilled into her womb. Her eyes rolled back as she orgasmed again her inner walls fluttering around the length of her fox's cock trapped inside of her.  
  
Nick felt Judy’s knees slip behind her, forcing him to lay on top of her and pin her to the bed underneath him. His hips would give small thrusts into her, spilling more and more of his seed into her small body.  
  
“I..I love you,” he heard her say.  
  
“I love you too,” he answered, his breathing as labored as if he had run a marathon. Nick could feel her tail twitch between them enticing him to thrust more into her.  
  
“Gods…. Nick, I needed that,” Judy said softly.  
  
“Me too, Fluff.”  
  
“We’re going to need another shower,” she said.  
  
“And clean sheets,” he added.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The dim light of the desk lamp and the harsher light of the computer monitor cast Chief Bogo’s features in varying degrees of shadow. The furrows of his brow deepened as he studied the computer screen, reading Dr. Treeroot’s email from the day before.  
  
Chief Bogo, Mayor Nutcache  
  
It is my koalafied opinion that the test you are proposing could do more harm than good. Nicholas Wilde is not a savage: he has a condition that brings forth the more fundamental aspects of being a fox. While this does come with heightened senses, strength, and maybe reaction time, it also comes with heightened needs, the need to provide food, shelter, and safety for his mate being paramount to these. Though these needs are common to us all, they are more readily apparent in Nicholas. Observe for yourself when talking to him or Judith how he will subtly place himself between you and his mate. A former colleague of mine told me that a fox will put his tail on or around what matters most to him. I have observed this behavior in Nicholas first paw.  
  
It is my primary concern that if you place Judith in a position of apparent danger, you could cause Nicholas’s heightened need to protect her to go haywire. Depending on Nicholas’s ability to control the primal urges that follow, you could end up with bloodshed, and he would not be to blame, but you fine mammals will be.  
  
Or, simply put, you are playing with fire you do not understand.  
  
Sincerely  
Dr. Henry Treeroot, PhD  
Resident Toxicologist and Night Howler Trauma Counselor  
  
_Thank the gods blood wasn’t spilled,_ Chief Bogo thought to himself. _But the gods won’t protect the department from subsection 3 part 2 of the Night Howler Victim Protection Act._ He shook his massive head and opened the unread email from the doctor that he’d received that afternoon while in the meeting with the Mayor and District Attorney.  
  
Chief Bogo,  
  
Considering the news that Mayor Nutcache has been arrested and I just treated Judith Wilde for being shot with a 1.5 cc mixture of diazepam, acepromazine, and domitor, or a police issue tranquilizer dart, you did not heed my advice and instead placed a pair of mammals in great jeopardy.  
  
Another 0.2cc of this mixture and Judith Wilde would have died. Tranquilizer darts were only to be authorized for use if the individual in question had shown symptoms of midnicampum holicithias poisoning. The dosage is too hard to get correct in the field to be used in a general manner. Considering Mrs. Wilde had zero indicators of midnicampum holicithias in her toxicology report, I can only assume this was attempted murder in an attempt to throw Nicholas into a rage.  
  
As such it brings me great joey, in this case, to inform you that all communications that I have regarding this subject shall be forwarded to Nicholas and Judith Wilde and whatever attorney they have to sue the city. I believe they will be used as exhibit A.  
  
Sincerely  
Dr. Henry Treeroot, PhD  
Resident Toxicologist and Night Howler Trauma Counselor  
  
PS: You done fucked up, Mate.  
  
Bogo stared at the email; he had gotten the preliminary toxicology report hours ago. He snorted; attached to the email was a copy of Judy’s full toxicology report, which showed that other than the aforementioned drugs she was clean. _You done fucked up Mate, indeed._ His massive head shook once again in irritation. “How could that stupid, nut chasing, squirrel think that this would play out?”  
  
He brought up the video of the close quarters combat building to watch yet again. The building’s camera had not been set up for night vision, so they only caught the flashes of gunfire and the flash from Nick's phone, but audio could clearly be heard. The all too familiar beat and lyrics could be heard through his computer speakers interrupted briefly by gunfire and cussing.  
  
_3 Minutes, 17 seconds,_ he thought to himself as he restarted the video again. _It took Wilde 3 minutes and 17 seconds to tear through a tiger, warthog, and a wolf to get to his wife, and a large portion of that was spent intimidating officer Rickenbarker._ Bogo watched the last few minutes of the video in great detail, from the moment Bogo turned the lights back on to the moment Nick wrapped himself once again around his wife. Even though he knew how it played out, Bogo was surprised every time when Nick shut the door in Rickenbarker’s face. The body language of the fox, the way he moved, even the low growl, said he was about to attack, yet the door shut, and no blood was spilled.  
  
Bogo turned his attention from the computer screen to the pictures laid out on his desk. They showed the three officers in question, each with two green paint splotches in the center of their chest, except for Officer Puma; he had one in the chest and the second splattered against his forehead.  
  
Bogo snorted. _They even knew he was coming._ His mind flashed back to the way the fox placed himself between the rabbit and himself. “ _I have observed this behavior in Nicholas first paw,_ ” Bogo remembered from Dr. Treeroot’s email.  
  
_“Just a fox, no one cares, barely a citizen and more than likely cheated,”_ Bogo heard Friedkin’s voice in his head from 14 years ago. _No one had cared until now, how did Ho…_ Bogo’s chest rumbled with displeasure. _Why did she have to marry that fox? How had she known what happened in the park? It couldn't have been the same fox could it?_ Bogo tried to remember what the fox in the park looked like from years ago, but drew a blank. _Not my most shining moment of being an officer,_ he admitted to himself.  
  
_Just a fox._ Bogo shook his massive head. _It’s_ _that mentality_ _that’s_ _gotten us into this situation…_ he thought to himself as his eyes moved to the far right wall near the door. The wall itself was shrouded in darkness, obscuring the awards and pictures covering it, but he had been in the office long enough to know where each photo was.  
  
_What happened to you?_ he silently asked the picture of himself and Friedkin on their last day on the beat. No answer readily came to mind as he turned his attention once again to his computer and closed the video.  
  
Bringing up the ZPD employment database, he accessed the employment files for Nick and Judy. The mammals down in administration services had already changed Judy’s last name to Wilde. The clicks of the mouse and the sound of a few keystrokes changed the Wildes employment status from suspended back to active duty and placed them on special assignment. He switched over to his email program when the notification of a new message popped up in the lower right-pawed corner. He frowned when he saw it was from the President of the Police Officers Union.  
  
Chief Bogo,  
  
It is my most profound regret to inform you that the ZPD Officers Union will be supporting Nicholas and Judith Wildes case against the ZPD and City Hall if they so choose to pursue one. With recent events and reports from your own officers about your own apparent speciesism during the Missing Mammal case and the subsequent Nighthowler Crisis, we are not satisfied that you are doing everything to change the cultural atmosphere where such things are tolerated.  
  
With Best Regards,  
Charles Boroff  
President ZPD Officers Union  
Retired Chief of Police  
  
_I had to ask how this day could get worse,_ he thought to himself, followed quickly by, _Just 3 minutes and 17 seconds and everything starts to crumble._


	9. Episode 9: Corruption and Consequences

# Episode 9: Corruption and Consequences

  
  
“I tried to numb the pain  
But I can't get away  
Hiding behind this disguise  
The games I had to play  
The hell I had to pay  
Everything comes with a price”  
Hell to Pay ~ Five Finger Death Punch  
  
There was a time that Judy would have been up at the crack of dawn. Bed made, fur washed and uniform on, sending a text to her partner to make sure he was up and getting ready for work. The last months of 2017 had brought many changes to her life. Changes that she now gloriously relished in.  
  
Judy stretched as she woke. Her legs and feet didn't move very far as she quickly became aware of just how curled around her that Nick was. She snuggled back into him. His longer fur acted as a living, breathing blanket. His right arm was draped across her, and her head rested on his left. She felt warm and safe, and the not so unpleasant aches of her body let her know she had been well loved the night before. Images flashed from her memory and a pleasant smile slowly stretched across her muzzle.  
  
She could just make out the barest glints of gold on his left paw and reached out and gently touched the band. A brief Muzzlebook message the night before had let Judy’s mother know that they were both ok and safe at home. _Sometimes I feel like_ _Mom_ _has adopted him just as much as_ _I’ve_ _married him,_ she lamented to herself.  
  
Judy reached up and softly scratched Nick under the chin, causing him to start to purr slowly. The rumbling in his chest reminded her of a high horsepower engine. The vibrations of it could be felt down to her toes. The purring paused just long enough for Nick to stretch slightly and smack his mouth open and closed. His right paw moved, and instead of lazily being draped over her, his paw now rested on her stomach and pulled her back against him slightly. His muzzle moved and wormed its way between her ears.  
  
“Good morning, Honey Bun,” Nick said softly, his breath washing over her head.  
  
Judy giggled. “Nick, that one is awful! Where did you get that one?” She asked.  
  
He smiled sadly. “When I was a kit, my mom would sometimes buy us these pastries shaped like a stylized rabbit head. They were kind of doughnut-like, but covered in honey, and they were pretty messy; they’d stick to the fur of my muzzle something awful.”  
  
“So I remind you of a messy snack from your kithood?” Judy asked.  
  
“Not just any messy snack Fluff, my favorite messy snack,” Nick answered before he started to lick her between the ears.  
  
“How am I…” Judy blushed and elbowed him in the stomach slightly.  
  
“How do you feel this morning?” he asked. She hadn’t hit him hard enough to cause any real pain this time. The elbow this time was more playful than anything, with no real force behind it.  
  
“Sore, but in a good way.”  
  
“Good. I would like to think I left a lasting impression,” Nick said quietly, then started to lap and run his teeth through her fur between her ears. The silence that hung between them was warm. Judy relaxed, letting him groom the fur between and at the base of her ears.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked a few minutes later.  
  
“Hmmm?” he answered, not letting it interrupt his licking.  
  
“You have my back, right?” She asked softly.  
  
“Always, Carrots,” Nick answered without hesitation. “If anyone hurts you, I’ll bite their face off,” he said borrowing a line from his former partner in crime.  
  
Judy smiled, comforted by the words and humor.  
  
_He could bite someone's face off,_ her inner voice intoned.  
  
_More than likely not,_ she shot back. _But it's nice knowing he would._  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of their alarms, alerting them it was time to get up and start getting ready for their day.  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
An hour and a half later, showered, brushed out, and nicely dressed, Judy guided their cruiser through the morning traffic to the downtown area.  
  
Nick sat quietly in the passenger seat. His aviator sunglasses were sitting perfectly on his muzzle, protecting his eyes from the glare of the sun reflecting off of the steel and concrete buildings around them.  
  
“What do you think about this assignment Slick?” Judy asked.  
  
“Honestly Fluff, I'm trying really hard not to,” he admitted. “We have friends on the force, Fangmeyer, Wolfard, Clawhauser…hell even Wolfson isn’t that bad. This assignment could tarnish or even destroy those friendships.” He took a sip of coffee from his travel mug. “It could do even worse things than that.”  
  
“Like what, Nick?” Judy asked, taken back by his serious tone.  
  
“It could paint a target on our backs; with recent events, that that doesn’t give me the warmest of fuzzies,” Nick admitted. “Make it where no one wants to back us up, leave us hanging in the wind when we really need them.”  
  
“I didn’t think about that last night,” Judy admitted.  
  
“I know you pretty much told the Chief you thought he was corrupt,” Nick said, taking another sip of his coffee.  
  
“We’ll need to be careful,” Judy said seriously.  
  
Nick smiled. “If we were careful mammals Fluff, we would have thrown our badges at Chief Buffalo Butt last night and hopped the first train back to Bunny Burrow. Gone back to taking care of Cotton and growing blueberries. No Fluff, we’ll need to be thorough.”  
  
Judy smiled and stated warmly. “You miss her.”  
  
Nick was quiet for a moment. “What is it with you bunnies worming your way into fox hearts?”  
  
“We’re burrowers, it's what we do,” Judy quipped.  
  
“Yes, I miss her, and it’s for her sake that I want us to be very careful about this,” Nick said seriously.  
  
Judy nodded and glanced over at Nick as he took a sip of coffee. “Bogo knew, Nick, he knew, and at the least did the bare minimum to stop it.”  
  
“I don’t think Bogo knew about Friedkin,” Nick said.  
  
“How can you be so sure?” Judy asked.  
  
“We’ve seen the Chief in multiple situations,” Nick's said. “Through them all he was stoic. But last night?” Nick shook his head and sighed. “It looked like he’d lost his oldest friend.”  
  
Judy looked over at Nick. “But…”  
  
“They were partners Fluff, and Bogo arrested her yesterday,in the Precinct One building, and had her paraded down to booking,” Nick continued. “She was there that day; he probably spent the hundred dollars on dinner for the both of them.”  
  
“That doesn’t mean he isn’t a dirty cop,” Judy said quietly, her previously perky upright ears draped down her back.  
  
Nick sighed and looked over at her. “No I guess it doesn’t, but I think we need to go into this without preconceived notions of who is guilty and who isn’t.”  
  
“Ok,” Judy agreed as they pulled into the side parking lot of City Hall.  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Bonnie, I'm tellin ya, this is that foxes doin’,” Stu yelled as he followed his wife through the warren’s tunnels to her office.  
  
“No Stu, no it's not,” Bonnie said exasperatedly.  
  
“But…” Stu started.  
  
“IT'S YOURS!” Bonnie yelled at him tired of this conversation. “You told me that the well had been sealed to code. Yet Cotton fell down it!” She sat in her chair and pulled out a thick binder. “A plywood box is not to code!”  
  
“I assigned the work out,” Stu defended as he rubbed the back of his neck. “We had a lot of projects going on around the farm that summer.”  
  
Bonnie eyed her husband and shook her head. “Really Stu, that's your defense?” she asked, her voice taking on a hurt tone. She flipped through the binder, thankful one of her kits came up with the system.  
  
“Honey Bun, I'm sorry; we’ll get it fixed,” Stu said. “And to code this time.”  
  
“Who did you assign the job to Stu?” Bonnie asked. “You signed off on the work order as complete,” Bonnie said as she turned the binder around to show him.  
  
Stu took his cap off and rubbed a paw over the top of his head and looked away. “I honestly can’t remember,” he deflected, not bothering to look at the page.  
  
Bonnie huffed. “It doesn't matter; we have a week to get the well sealed to code.”  
  
“But there’s no way we can get concrete to set in this weather,” Stu said.  
  
Bonnie closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose. “We’re going to have to figure it out, Stu. The letter from Social Services took a week to get here. I got a call this morning from their inspector; she’ll be here in a week. If we can’t show we fixed the well, there is a high probability that they’ll take Cotton, or look closely into other things.”  
  
“I’ll talk to Adam…”  
  
“No, you leave that drunkard son of ours out of this,” Bonnie started as her eyes flashed in sudden realization. “You assigned it to Adam…”  
  
“Now Carrot Cake, let’s not jump to conclusions…” Stu said.  
  
“Stu, I know you have a soft spot for that boy,” Bonnie started.  
  
“He's just torn up is all…” Stu started.  
  
“Stu, we cannot turn a blind eye to this anymore.” Bonnie said. “We have a state inspector coming to check on not just our kits, but all the kits here.”  
  
“Well, after Barbra passed away…”  
  
“Stu, stop making excuses,” Bonnie sighed. “We need to talk to Sam and see what she says about getting concrete to set for the well.”  
  
“But Sam is…” Stu started.  
  
“Samantha knows construction better than most of the males on this farm, so don't start with that, Stewart,” Bonnie said to her husband, her voice taking an edge that told Stu to back off.  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Bonnie watched her daughter measure the opening of the well and make some notes on a pad of paper. The younger doe was dressed in thick brown overalls splattered here and there with an odd mixture of paint and grease stains. She had light grey fur with large darker grey, almost black, splotches. Her warm light brown eyes spoke of a smart, capable rabbit.  
  
“You're telling me that little Cotton fell down this and that Judy’s fox went after her?” Samantha asked her mother.  
  
“Yes dear, I think you were at the farm expo in Silversmith at the time,” Bonnie answered as she shivered, the cold wind cutting through her heavy winter coat. She watched as Sam bent down to pick up a piece of the rotten wood and toss it into the hole.  
  
Sam counted as the piece of wood fell into the dark hole, and whistled after making a quick mental calculation. “That has to be 30 feet deep, Mom, an’ you’re telling me a fox went after a bunny kit?” Sam stared down the hole. “That's one brave, or very stupid, fox.”  
  
Bonnie smiled. “I would like to think Nick is brave. He follows Judy around, after all.”  
  
Sam raised an eyebrow and looked at her mother. “Sounds a little more on the stupid side to me.”  
  
“You’re telling me you haven't met your new brother-in-law yet?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Sam shrugged, “Was busy out in the tractor barn while he was here. Besides he’s just a fox; I've known Gid for years.” She looked from the hole and back up the muddy dirt track they’d taken to get here. “We can make the plug, but the problem isn't even getting the concrete to set,” she started to explain to her mother. “It's going to be getting it here. This has been a very wet winter, and we’re having problems with just getting the pickups and freight trucks stuck moving things from the warehouse into town. Let alone a slab that's going to weight close to 500 pounds out here.”  
  
Bonnie nodded. “It needs to be done, Sam.”  
  
Sam sighed and looked at her mother. “Mom I understand it needs to be done and we could do it if it were just this one but…”  
  
“But what, Sam?”  
  
“When you sent me the work order for this one,I checked the survey maps from when you and Dad bought this parcel of land from Gramps, and there are 2 other wells on it,” Sam explained. “An’ I'm willin’ to bet my ears that they need to be capped as well.”  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Zootopia City Hall was a wonder of the modern world. The sheer size of it made it an architectural and construction wonder of advanced engineering. The first two floors held courtrooms and city clerks that served mammals of all sizes. The upper floors housed the bureaucracy that kept the city running. City council mammals had their offices there, along with the Mayor and his staff. The District Attorney's office was located on the third floor. Oddly enough, it was just down the hall from where Nick and Judy had met Dawn Bellwether to gain access to the city's traffic cameras.  
  
Nick and Judy walked into the massive building, having been waved through security by a female hippopotamus officer. His tail was wrapped around the doe’s hips, his paws were shoved into his slacks pockets, and his sunglasses were still on his muzzle. Behind them, his eyes sized up the few mammals in the great entryway as they made their way to the elevators.  
  
Most mammals paid the odd pair no mind, some looked on with curiosity, and a smaller few openly sneered at the “freaks.” Nick took it all in and let it roll off of him, though he took note of the few that openly mocked them, making sure to keep track of them and subtly nudge his partner well clear of them.  
  
Judy’s looked up at him as they waited for the elevator. Outwardly his body language was relaxed and almost appeared bored. But she had learned to read her husband well over the months of their courtship and marriage; she could see the tense way he forced his shoulders to sag, the way his paws flexed subtly in his pockets, his ears appearing still for the most part except for the very slight movement as they tracked sounds.  
  
“Sometimes Slick you have all the subtlety of a rival rooster,” Judy said as a smile crossed her muzzle. “But thank you.”  
  
“Carrots, I know not of which you speak,” His head tilted as he looked down at her over the frames of his sunglasses. “But you're welcome.”  
  
“I think you do; my ears are not just for show, you know,” she said.  
  
“Oh, so they’re more than just large erogenous zones?” Nick asked as they stepped into the elevator.  
  
Judy blushed and smacked her right paw into his arm. “Nick!”  
  
“What? It really seems to get your motor going when I…” Nick said as he winced and rubbed his upper right arm. “I love you too, Carrots,” he said slyly as he studied her reflection in the polished stainless steel of the elevator door.  
  
Judy looked up at him as the elevator rose to the third floor and smiled. “I do love you, Nick.”  
  
“I know,” he said, and gave her a wink as the door opened and they walked out.  
  
Few mammals paid the pair any attention; most on this floor had early morning meetings to get to as well. A small few glanced their way, but no one commented, unlike the mammals downstairs. Annual training ensured that city employees were well versed in the consequences of discrimination.  
  
“Nick?” Judy asked as they reached the door to the District Attorney's outer office.  
  
“Yes, Carrots?” he answered.  
  
“Please behave,” she said as she reached up and pushed the door open.  
  
“You wound me Fluff, you truly wound me,” he said as he held a paw over his heart and followed her inside.  
  
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde, Mr. Fisher said you would be coming in this morning,” greeted the receptionist. She had a small triangular head and dark brown fur that faded to black just about her shoulder blades. She would have been about Judy’s high had she been standing instead of sitting at her desk that was actually on top of a large mammal sized receptionist's desk. Her English was prim and proper with a slight British accent.  
  
She wore gold wire-framed glasses over light green eyes that almost reminded Judy of pine needles in the summer. She wore a well-tailored light red dress with a black blazer jacket. Her small paws flew over her keyboard as she typed, not having missed a beat since she greeted them.  
  
“If you’ll wait just one moment, I will escort you back,” she said as she kept typing on her keyboard.  
  
“It’s no problem, we’ve been in Mr. Fisher’s office before,” Judy said as she headed toward the door with her fox in tow.  
  
“Oh no, Mrs. Wilde, I must insist. Mr. Fisher has implemented new security procedures; we have had…issues,” the receptionist said.  
  
“What kind of issues? Miss…” Nick asked.  
  
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I'm Amanda Thacho, I was hired a few weeks ago when the previous receptionist, along with a paw full of the assistant district attorneys, was let go,” Amanda explained.  
  
“Can you tell us why they were let go?” Judy asked.  
  
“Ummm, conflict of interest, I believe,” Amanda answered.  
  
Judy glanced up at Nick as he studied Amanda. The tip of his tail flicked against her hip slightly.  
  
“You’re new to the city,” he said after a few moments.  
  
“Nick…” Judy hissed at him.  
  
“Oh, it's quite alright,” Amanda said as she picked a few folders up off her desk and made her way down the staircase that had been installed at the back of the larger one. “Tell me, Mr. Wilde, can you guess where I am from?”  
  
Nick smiled as he thought about it. “Judging from your accent, I’d say you’ve spent a lot of time in England; perhaps you went to school there?” he asked.  
  
“You are correct; I went to school in Oxford, but that isn't where I am from. I grew up on the banks of the Great Bear Lake in northern Canada,” she explained as she badged in through the door.  
  
“What brings you to Zootopia?” Judy asked.  
  
“I wanted to try something new,” she answered as she led them through the door and down a hallway with offices on either side. The offices on the right paw side all had windows, while the ones on the left were dark where their occupants had not arrived yet that morning.  
  
“You must miss your family,” Judy said as they followed. Nick watched as Amanda’s back stiffened.  
  
“Not so much,” she answered stiffly. “Do you two always show up so early to work?”  
  
Nick chuckled, letting Judy’s question be deflected. “That’s Carrots’ doing. If I had it my way, we would still be snuggled up in our bed.”  
  
“If you had your way, we’d never get out of bed, Mr. Lazy Fox,” Judy shot back.  
  
“Carrots?” Amanda asked. “I thought your name was Judy; we’ll need to change your passcard…”  
  
“Oh, it is; let's just call Carrots a term of endearment,” Judy explained.  
  
“Oh, I see,” Amanda said as she knocked on the door at the end of the hallway.  
  
“Come in,” said the mammal on the other side. Unlike Chief Bogo, it wasn't bellowed at the top of their lungs.  
  
“Mr. and Mrs. Wilde are here to see you, sir,” Amanda said as she walked across the office floor to place the files on his desk. “And here is the paperwork that you requested.”  
  
Judy had been unsure what to expect when she entered Mr. Fisher's office. Most offices they’d frequented had catered to larger mammals. Mr. Fisher’s office, on the other paw, was set up more so medium to small mammals would be more comfortable. The chairs, desk, and other furnishings were laid out and sized in a manner suitable for the office's occupant. The office felt cavernous, having been built for a much larger mammal, but somehow didn't echo due to the furnishings and wall hangings.  
  
“Ahhh good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde. Congratulations, by the way, even though I know it’s a few months late,” Luke Fisher greeted them warmly. “Please, have a seat.”  
  
Judy smiled. “Good morning, Mr. Fisher.” She sat down in one of the comfortable chairs in front of his desk while Nick sat in the other one. Judy watched as Nick's tail flicked in the distance between them, just out of reach.  
  
“Chief Bogo did warn me that you two tend to get an early start on your day,” Luke said.  
  
“I grew up on a farm so early mornings are the norm for me,” Judy explained.  
  
“Ahh, yes, I understand completely; my parents ran a fishery just outside of the canal district. The early mornings are one of the things I do not miss.” Luke got a distant, almost sad look on his face. “What about you Mr. Wilde?”  
  
“I blame the corrupting influence of a bunny; this is an unholy hour to be out and about,” Nick said flatly as he finished his coffee.  
  
Judy fought hard to suppress a giggle, while Luke laughed heartily. “Yes, our fairer halves do have a tendency to modify our habits,” Luke said, grinning.  
  
Nick grinned back. “Her mother says I dress better, so…”  
  
“Only because I didn't let you take that gaudy green Hawaiian shirt to the farm,” Judy quipped.  
  
“But I did take it; you just wore it as a nightgown the entire time,” Nick shot back.  
  
Luke shook his head. “And how was it being a fox in the rabbit warren?”  
  
“Oddly accepting after appropriate bribes where made,” Nick said jokingly. “Her father still doesn't like me, but I don’t think he’s going to come after me with a shotgun anytime soon. Taser, I think, is still on the table.”  
  
“Bribes?” Luke asked, suddenly looking concerned.  
  
“Nick is joking, Mr. Fisher. He helped bake a lot of chocolate cake; it threw the favor to desert market in my family home off for a few days,” Judy explained. “But after, more of the rabbits there were more accepting; well, that and the fact that Nick single pawedly went down a well to save our niece.”  
  
“Ahhh, I see,” Mr. Fisher said relieved. “You can see how I would be concerned, given the nature of…”  
  
“You want us to investigate the ZPD,” Nick said as he looked down at his empty coffee cup and frowned. “I’m not sure you understand what you’re asking us to do.”  
  
“Oh, I am very much aware…” Luke started.  
  
“Are you?” Nick asked. “I mean, it's not your tail on the line that needs to rely on the same mammals you’re asking us to investigate to cover our backs when we need to make an arrest or kick down a door.”  
  
“Nick!” Judy said, taken back a bit by his bluntness.  
  
“It’s ok, Mrs. Wilde. He’s right, it's not my tail on the line, but regardless, this needs to be done,” Luke said. “I believe you two are the correct mammals for the job. Would you like a refill of your coffee?”  
  
“I would, yes,” Nick answered.  
  
“Why do you think we’re the right mammals?” Judy asked. “The ZPD is full of good detectives…”  
  
“Frankly, it’s because you two have been gone for 4 months,” Luke answered as he surprised Nick by getting up and taking Nick's travel mug across the office where a coffee pot sat. “Blueberry creamer and sugar, correct?”  
  
“Correct,” Nick answered.  
  
“But what does us being in Bunnyburrow have to do with anything?” Judy asked.  
  
“Carrots, we were suspended and didn’t have access to any information; we couldn't be the source of the leaks,” Nick answered while Luke prepared his coffee.  
  
“Mr. Wilde is correct, except we also ran credit reports and asked your respected banks if you’ve made any large purchases recently,” Mr. Fisher said as he walked back over and handed Nick his coffee cup.  
  
“Large purchases?” Judy asked.  
  
“They were checking to see if our spending habits had changed in the last year,” Nick said. “If you give a mammal a large sum of cash, they do tend to spend it rather quickly, in most cases.”  
  
Mr. Fisher nodded. “It's one of the many ways we check for corruption, especially in…” He paused as he thought of a polite way to explain. “Less affluent mammals in career fields like police work, for instance. We also check DMV records to see if they recently bought a new car they couldn’t possibly afford.” He looked back and forth between the fox and the rabbit. “So, what say you, will you help me clean up this city?”  
  
Judy looked over at Nick. “How about it partner? One more time to make the world a better place?”  
  
Nick sighed and looked at Judy her amethyst eyes shining brightly. “Fine, but that plan B is looking better every day,” he told her.  
  
“Plan B?” Mr. Fisher asked.  
  
Nick’s muzzle slowly cracked into a smug grin. “Don’t you even think of it, Slick,” Judy said warningly.  
  
\----------------------  
  
The solid white furred kit sat in the corner of the room. She was dressed in a light blue dress that came down to her knees. In her paws was a well-worn newspaper clipping. The ink in places had worn off; not that she needed to read the article, as she had long since memorized it. No, she held it and held onto it more for the picture.  
  
The picture printed in color showed a red fox carrying a dark grey bunny kit wrapped in a light blue blazer. Beside the fox was a rabbit with light grey fur and black tipped ears and the most brilliant purple eyes. It was taken just moments before the kit had been handed over to EMS.  
  
Tears brimmed in the bunny kit’s eyes as she remembered what had happened to her. She had been misidentified as a buck at first. She didn't blame the fox; after all, scents in the basement had been mixed, and his unwillingness to spend much time looking at her spoke leaps and bounds of his character.  
  
The protectiveness of the fox’s arms had been the first real affection she had been shown in months. She barely remembered her parents or caregiver before being placed in the basement cage. She would have liked to think they loved her, but the stark reality of her current situation defied that hope. She’d heard the adults say that they’d run some sort of test on her to see if she had belonged to the Leaperson does, but since she’d been placed in something called a foster home, she supposed she did not.  
  
The mean male had been fattening her up for weeks. He’d told her she was next. He had been in the basement when the sounds from above summoned him out; he’d been sharpening knives, getting ready to…  
  
The bunny kit shook her head and looked at the fox in the picture, forcing herself to think about something else. When she had been taken in by Social Services, she had been filthy. Hot water and lots of soap slowly washed away the dark grey to pure white. The only thing that remained of the bunny kit in the picture had been her piercing blue eyes. Would the fox, Detective Wilde, even recognize her?  
  
Her foster family was friendly; she was warm and fed well, content and not hungry. Nor did they force her to eat so much that her tummy ached. She had initially been placed with the other kits, but her dreams caused the adults to put her in her own room. She had a warm, soft bed with lots of blankets to burrow into, but she inevitably ended up in this corner of the room as far from the door as she could get. She looked to the door, which was open so that she could leave the room whenever she wanted, but she felt safer in the corner of the room.  
  
“Iris, honey?” came the voice of the kind ewe that was her foster mother. “Will you come to breakfast?”  
  
The bunny kit looked up at her foster mother. She was a sheep, with soft white wool that stuck out of her clothes like tufts of cotton candy. She had kind eyes and was always dressed nicely. Iris had been the name given to her, by who she didn’t know. Either the foster mother did or one of the other mammals that came to visit her. She had a lot of mammals that came to visit her; some were teaching her to walk, others to talk. Her foster mom was teaching her to dress and where to go potty. Clothes felt weird, but she liked bath time. She hated being dirty.  
  
She nodded and hopped over to the nightstand by the bed on all fours and placed the newspaper clipping on it. She followed after her foster mother, the bunny kit could keep up now. For the first few weeks, her foster mother had to carry her everywhere; having had spent most of her life in a cage, she just didn't have the endurance.  
  
Her stomach rumbled, but it almost always rumbled. She wasn't fed nearly as much as when the mean male had been fattening her up. She was told her appetite would eventually go back to normal. Whatever normal was.  
  
She should hate the male, but she didn’t. He did teach her how to read, even though it was from a book he got off of something called the dark web. But she could read. That was one thing her foster family had a lot of, books. And none of them were books about how to cook a rabbit. These books had stories of heroes and villains and grand adventures. Her favorite book, the one she was allowed to keep in her room, was about a fox.  
  
She paused in the middle of the hall and cowered as images flashed in front of her eyes; she could hear the screams…  
  
“Iris…” The gentle voice of her foster mother came. “Iris, it’s ok, you're safe. You’re not there anymore.” She could feel the gentle touch of the sheep as she stroked back her ears.  
  
The tears that fell were silent; the mean male did not like excessive noise. She slowly calmed and opened her eyes. She found herself cradled against the sheep's chest, and quickly wiped at her cheeks and eyes in an attempt to erase the evidence of her crying.  
  
“Better?” her foster mother asked, and she nodded. She felt her foster mother stand and walk down the hall not putting her down. She curled her legs and paws to her chest. “Come on,” her foster mother said. “Let's get you fed. One of your therapists, Miss Hopps will be here soon.”  
  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy sighed as she rubbed her temples, the file in front of her scattered across her desk as she tried to find patterns. _Sweet cheese and crackers!_ she thought to herself. _They made it sound easy to find a crooked mammal!_  
  
_Badge in and badge out times for the ZPD,_ she thought. _Always the first and almost always the last to leave. Some days there wasn't even a badge out time. Maybe he snuck out?_  
  
_Or maybe he didn't leave and slept in one of the crash rooms and took a shower in the locker room,_ her inner voice chimed in.  
  
She sighed again as she looked up and saw Nick hard at work with a couple of highlighters as he went through financial information.  
  
_“Would you believe I have an Associates in Business Accounting?”_ she heard Nick ask her in her head.  
  
“Find anything, Slick?” Judy asked hopefully.  
  
“I’ve found plenty, Fluff,” Nick answered, not even looking up from the sheets of paper in front of him. “Such as Buffalo Butt pays way too much for protein powder at ZNC, as well as on his Gazelle addiction that he tries to hide from Clawhauser.”  
  
“But…” Judy starts to ask.  
  
“No, from his financial records it doesn't look like he’s corrupt.” Nick looked up from the financial data in front of him. “He might have been a bigot at one time Fluff, but I don't think he has ever been a corrupt one.”  
  
Judy sighed as she turned her attention back to the chief’s emails over the last year.  
  
“Now this is interesting…” Nick said.  
  
Judy’s ears perked up. “What's that?”  
  
“It's just that every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2pm, Buffalo Butt has gone to the Snarlbucks down the street from the precinct and got a $9 iced coffee for the last seven or so months.” Nick looked up and grinned.  
  
“What makes that so interesting?” Judy asked. “You have coffee every day!”  
  
“Oh, it's just I think that would correspond with when they hired that bovine barista,” Nick said smugly. “And from the looks of it he tips well. Now she could be his handler, but unless she's playing in hoof jobs…”  
  
“Well, maybe it won't take him getting shot to admit that he’s interested in her!” Judy sassed back at him.  
  
“You wound me Fluff, you really wound me,” Nick said. “Besides, I wasn’t the only one being an idiot.”  
  
“No, no, you weren’t the only idiot.” Judy sighed. “It's just…”  
  
Nick folded his paws on his desk. The office had been set up much like their one at the ZPD; the desks faced each other, so they just had to look up to see one other. His smile was warm and affectionate, and for once not smug.  
  
“I was so angry with him. Between the missing mammal case, the way he talked to me after your shooting, and then in the hospital before we were married, and now this?” Judy shook her head. “I was so sure he was in on it.”  
  
“He made a mistake Fluff. We have the luxury of hindsight. He didn't know his ex-partner had been bought out and that the Mayor was a nutcase,” Nick said gently. “Besides, Bogo has changed since the missing mammal case.”  
  
“Maybe… It's just, with how much he’s talked down to me, it's hard to see sometimes,” Judy admitted as she looked at the printed emails scattered across her desk. One caught her eye. Her ears fell as she read it. “Nick?” She asked.  
  
“Yeah Fluff?” Nick said as he looked back up from gathering up the different financial documents on his desk.  
  
“Could we sue the ZPD?” She asked.  
  
Nick looked thoughtful. “We probably could yes, but…”  
  
“But what?” Judy looked at him the email from the Police Union still clutched in her paws.  
  
“Where do you think the money would come from when we won?” He asked.  
  
Judy looked away. “Out of the police budget…”  
  
Nick nodded. “I’m sure we could settle, but…”  
  
“It would still come out of the training and equipment accounts…” Judy finished for him as he nodded again. “Doesn't the city have funds for something like this?”  
  
Nick shrugged. “I doubt it; if they did, then the ZPD would be better funded.”  
  
“So are we going to sue?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick sighed. “I was going to wait a few days to talk to you about this…”  
  
Judy stared at him for a moment. “You didn’t want to make a decision while I was angry…” she said softly.  
  
“As the more aggrieved of us two…” Nick started.  
  
“If I said that I wanted to sue, you would?” Judy asked.  
  
“Judy…” Nick paused as he gathered his thoughts. “I would burn the world for you if I thought for a single moment it would fix what has been done to you.”  
  
Judy watched him, his ears pinned back and the set of his eyes somber. “Maybe we can talk to a lawyer and see if anything can be worked out,” she suggested. “I don't think taking resources away from the ZPD is the solution.”  
  
“I don't think so either, but maybe you're right. There might be a solution we haven't thought of.” Nick sighed as he started to reach for another file.  
  
Judy looked at all the file and sighed. “Hey Slick, do you know of someone that might know something?”  
  
“I know everyone worth knowing Fluff, you'll need to be a tad bit more specific,” Nick said.  
  
Judy smiled. “Do you know a mammal that might know of a dirty cop or two?”  
  
Nick paused for a moment before opening the file. “You know, I might know of a mammal that has his ear to the ground.” He glanced at the time on his computer. “But first I’m feeling oddly like a cup of coffee from Snarlbucks…”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Iris did well today, Mrs. Woolverton,” Hipp Hopps said. She was a light brown bunny with light blue, almost grey eyes. She wore a comfortable pair of blue jeans with a tan t-shirt.  
  
“That is good to hear. We are trying to motivate her to walk more and play with the other kids instead of just sitting in her room reading.” Mrs. Woolverton said kindly.  
  
Hipp nodded. “I fear it’s going to be a long road, she knows what Cuppaw was going to do with her,” Hipp explained. “It will take a while for her to move on from that; she might have a deep fear of predators for some time.”  
  
“Oh dear, poor thing…” Mrs. Woolverton looked thoughtful. “I'm not so sure about her fear of predators though. She seems fascinated with the fox your sister married.”  
  
“Nick?” Hipp asked sounding surprised.  
  
Mrs. Woolverton nodded. “Yes, that's the one. She has a newspaper clipping from when she was found. It came with her from Zootopia’s Department of Social Services.”  
  
“Can I see it?” Hipp asked.  
  
“I don't see why not. It’s just in her room, down this way.” Mrs. Woolverton answered as they walked down the hall. Hipp couldn't help but marvel at the different architecture of the Woolverton household. Where the Hopps warren was an interconnected maze of tunnels with domed ceilings, the Woolverton household was more squared, more evenly and neatly laid out.  
  
Hipp followed Mrs. Woolverton into the room, seeing Iris with her back pressed into the far corner of the room, a blanket bunched up around her almost like a defensive fortification. A large book sat in Iris’s lap as her brilliant blue eyes regarded them.  
  
“Iris, can Miss Hopps see your picture?” Mrs. Woolverton asked her voice soft and kindly.  
  
Iris nodded and picked up the news paperclipping and held it out for Hipp. Hipp sat down on the floor beside Iris outside of her blanket wall and looked at the picture. “Is this bunny you?” she asked after a few moments.  
  
Iris nodded. “He saved me from the mean male,” she said, her voice low and soft as if she was still afraid to make too much noise. “I was going to be stew,” she said bluntly.  
  
“I’m sorry Iris, no one should ever be treated like that,” Hipp said softly.  
  
“Detective Nicholas Wilde saved me, and made Judith give me her jacket,” Iris continued. “Said Carrots would be mad about the lock.”  
  
Hipp looked at Iris. “Nick is a brave fox.”  
  
“Kind fox,” Iris corrected.  
  
“Would you like to meet him?” Hipp asked.  
  
Iris looked up, her gaze going from Hipp to Mrs. Woolverton. “Can I?”  
  
“Mmmmm,” Mrs. Woolverton started.  
  
“If you can make it from your room to the end of the hallway and down to the dining room and back to your room walking on your legs.” Hipp looked up at Mrs. Woolverton, who started to nod her assent. “Then I will call Nick and get him and Judy to come for a visit ok?”  
  
Iris’s ears fell down her back as she looked out the door before looking back at Hipp. “That's a long way…”  
  
“Not so long,” Hipp said. “Nick lives in Zootopia, many miles from here. If he can come that far, I think you can walk a short little hallway.”  
  
Iris’s nose twitched as she looked at Hipp, then Mrs. Woolverton, before nodding. “Ok.”  
  
“Great!” Hipp said. “And when he's here we will get a much better picture of you two together, so you don't have to rely on this clipping.”  
  
“Really?” Iris asked.  
  
Hipp nodded. “Really. Can I ask what are you reading?”  
  
Iris held up the book for her so she could read the gold embossed title on the spine.  
  
Hipp grinned. “Robin Hood, good choice,” she said as she stood up and handed Iris her picture back. “I will see you tomorrow Iris, and we’ll work on getting you down that hall.”  
  
“Snack time will be in just a little while honey, read or play. I’ll come to get you when it's time,” Mrs. Woolverton said just before she led Hipp back out into the hallway.  
  
Hipp followed, trying to figure out how she was going to get Nick here as Iris’s reward.  
  
“Do you really think he’ll come?” Mrs. Woolverton asked. “I mean, she’s just a bunny kit that he hardly knows.”  
  
Hipp smiled. “She is right, he’s a kind fox. I got to watch him with my family’s kerfluffle. He's patient with kits, and if I can't get him to come, then my niece Cotton has him wrapped around her little paw.”  
  
“Well I haven't seen her that excited about something since we showed her the library and that books can contain something other,” Mrs. Woolverton paused and shuddered before continuing. “Than recipes.”  
  
“If you're nervous about…” Hipp started.  
  
Mrs. Woolverton waved a hoof. “Nonsense, you know we have two wolf pups here, right? We even had a fox kit a few years back; who do you think the book was bought for?” she said with a smile. “A little odd that a bunny is reading it though.”  
  
“Oh, the tale is quite good. You should have seen Nick read it to the kerfluffle.” Hipp smiled. “Except he did change Maid Marian to a bunny with purple eyes.”  
  
Mrs. Woolverton smiled. “That wouldn't have had anything to do with your sister listening in would it?”  
  
Hipp smiled as she pressed a finger to her chin, looking thoughtful. “You know, now that you mention it, she did always make sure to take her breaks around story time.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Caralatte or smoothie, Fluff?” Nick asked as they walked into the busy Snarlbucks. The place had a low din to it as mammals conversed with each other or on a call with paws-free devices. Most were dressed in suits and were probably lawyers, given their close proximity to city hall and the courtrooms. Others looked like college or maybe high school age students, sipping iced coffee drinks while typing away at laptop keyboards.  
  
“Smoothie would be good. I think I’ve had enough caffeine for one day,” she answered as she looked around while Nick got in line to order. Mammals seemingly went about their business, paying no mind to the fox and bunny duo.  
  
“She's cute and sweet,” Nick said as he rejoined her a few minutes later as he waited for their drinks.  
  
“Who?” Judy asked being shaken from her observations of the room.  
  
Nick motioned to the female cape buffalo behind the counter taking orders. Judy estimated that she would be maybe a foot or so shorter than Chief Bogo. She was light grey, almost white, with orange eyes. The tips of her horns and the nails at the end of her fingers were painted bright pink. She wore a black t-shirt, which contrasted sharply with the stark white apron over it. Judy couldn't see them, but she also assumed she wore the tan slacks that were part of the official uniform for Snarlbucks employees.  
  
“Really Nick?” Judy said. “You wanted coffee to spy on Bogo?”  
  
Nick shrugged and cocked his head to a side as he looked down at her. “How else were we going to get you to let it go that he's corrupt other than to check this out as well?”  
  
Judy raised a finger looking indignant when her inner voice spoke up. _He_ _has_ _a point._ ”  
  
Nick watched as his wife's body language changed; while her ears remained erect, her shoulders slumped slightly. “You might have a point,” he heard her mumble. “Sometimes I just don't know when to quit.”  
  
“It is one of your more redeeming qualities though,” Nick said as he glanced around the room.  
  
“You think so?” Judy asked.  
  
“It's gotten you where you are today.” Nick shrugged as he looked away and scanned the room one more time. “So I can’t fault you too much with it.”  
  
Judy grinned and turned her attention toward the door as it opened. “Now is that because I'm a successful police officer, or your wife?” She asked as he saw Chief Bogo enter the coffee shop.  
  
“Nick and Carrots!” came the call from one of the baristas as their drinks were ready.  
  
“Nick!” Judy exclaimed as she smacked her fist into his arm.  
  
“And just like that, the moment is gone.” Nick lamented as he rubbed his arm and walked to the counter to get their drinks.  
  
Judy watched as he walked away and felt the almost intimidating presence of Chief Bogo as he cleared the space between them in a few steps. “Ho...Ju….err Mrs. Wilde.” Bogo greeted her, the words sounding almost like they were being pulled from stone.  
  
“Chief.” Judy greeted him simply as she looked up at him and sighed. “Look Chief…”  
  
Chief Bogo snorted, cutting her off. “I would like to apologize, Mrs. Wilde.”  
  
Judy’s eyes went wide, and her ears fell back.  
  
“You were right, in hindsight, I should have called you and your…” Bogo’s eyes tracked over to the fox in question. “Husband to let you know that the stress test was called off.” Judy watched as Bogo’s eyes softened. “More importantly, I want to apologize for Ursula’s actions. I have known her for as long as I’ve been a police officer, and never suspected she could…”  
  
Judy’s nose twitched just before she cut him off. “You don't need to apologize for something you didn't have a paw in Chief, but thank you.” She sighed. “I also owe you an apology, I should have never accused you of being corrupt as you have done nothing but treat Nick and I as equals since the Nighthowler Crisis.”  
  
“Regardless, it happened under my watch, and I wished to extend my apologies nonetheless,” Bogo said as Nick approached the two.  
  
“Here ya go Fluff, one veggie smoothie,” Nick said as he handed her the smoothie she wanted. “Chief.”  
  
“Wilde,” Chief Bogo greeted as he reached into his pocket, pulled out some folded bills, and held them out to Nick.  
  
Nick eyed the money as he took a sip of his coffee. “Is this a bribe, Chief?” he asked as he looked up at Bogo, surprise clearly written on the buffalo's face.  
  
“It's what I took…” Bogo started.  
  
Nick shook his head. “Sorry Chief, but a hundred dollars isn't going to cut it.”  
  
“Nick!” Judy exclaimed as she looked between her fox and Chief Bogo. “Just take…”  
  
“Let me explain something,” Nick said just before taking a sip of his coffee. “What you took from me was not just a hundred dollars. What you really took was a night of warmth and not having to keep one eye open. A hot shower and a semi-clean bed.” Nick eyed the Chief’s bulging muscles. “Something I highly doubt you know anything about the lack of. You want to pay that back?” Nick snorted. “You can’t, because you can’t repay lost dignity.”  
  
“Nick…” Judy said quietly. “I think the Chief is just trying to make amends.”  
  
Nick snorted and eyed the hundred dollars, then looked over at the female buffalo serving guests, then back at Chief Bogo. “Wilde… I'm sorry,” Chief Bogo said as he stared down at Nick.  
  
“That means more than the hundred dollars,” Nick said as he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out his aviators. “Take your money, make a donation to a charity, or take her out to dinner.” Nick motioned over his shoulder to the female buffalo.” He looked down at the rabbit at his side. “Let her know you're interested or that you care.”  
  
Judy smiled up at him as they started to walk out the door. “Take it from me Chief, do it before it's too late,” Nick called back over his shoulder, giving the Chief the same lazy half wave half salute.  
  
Judy took a sip of her smoothie as Nick's tail wrapped around her hip. She looked down at it. The warmth of it brought her a measure of comfort on the crisp winter day. She looked back up at Nick. “Was that really necessary?” she asked.  
  
“Oh, what, my tail?” Nick deflected as he started to remove it from her hip before she slapped her free paw onto the tip to hold it in place.  
  
“That's not what I'm talking about you dumb fox, and you know it,” Judy said as she looked up at him. “Back there with Bogo, was it really necessary?”  
  
Nick was quiet, their cruiser coming into view as they neared its parking place. “No, no it was not,” he admitted.  
  
“You’re better than that Nick, so why?” Judy asked. “He was apologizing, he even tried to pay you back…”  
  
Nick sighed. “Only after you called him out on it like a kit who got caught with their paw in the cookie jar,” he answered as he climbed into the passenger seat. “Besides, a hundred dollars now?” He shrugged. “Fluff, a hundred dollars now wouldn't change anything. But 14 years ago a hundred dollars was like a grand now, or someone paying off your student loans.”  
  
“It was life changing,” Judy said quietly, and Nick nodded. “If you had gotten a good night sleep in a warm bed, where would you have ended up?”  
  
Nick shrugged. “Who knows? It wasn't like anyone was lining up to give a fox a job. But I wouldn't have been in a cardboard box, that’s for sure.”  
  
“Nick, I'm sorry that it happened to you. I wish I’d been around to help you then,” Judy said sincerely.  
  
“I’m honestly glad you weren’t, Fluff, you wouldn't have liked the younger me,” Nick said as he looked over at her and took a sip of his coffee. “We need to get going anyway.”  
  
“I’m not so sure Slick. Where are we going?” Judy asked.  
  
“Happy Town.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy’s eyes darted around the road. Traffic in Happy Town had thinned out considerably. The cars parked along the roadways made some of the older farm vehicles seem showroom ready by comparison. Graffiti adorned almost every wall of every building, and some of it made her wonder just how they got up there, let alone spray painted anything. All the windows had bars on them and some of the doors as well. It was one of those rare times that the bars were meant to keep animals out instead of inside.  
  
The city seemed to be only doing the bare minimum of sanitation as trash piled deep in the alleyways. The area had a fetid rotting, smell like a compost bin left open too long. The sign that marked the entrance to Happy Town had at one point said “Welcome to Happy Town, where dreams can come true”, only some mammal had marked out the words “can” and “true” and added “to die.”  
  
The few mammals that walked the street kept their heads down low and barely paid the passing car any attention. They were dressed in ragged looking clothes with their paws in their pockets. The few that had jackets or coats wore them zipped up. Almost all the clothes were patched in some form or fashion. They passed by a corner where a vixen and a female coyote stood wearing short skirts and blouses that showed far more fur than it covered.  
  
“Nick this…” Judy started her thought, lost as a low groan of disapproval and disappointment escaped her as they passed by the ladies on the corner. She glanced over at him, but Nick seemed unfazed by the area.  
  
“Hard to believe that an area like this would be named Happy Town, eh Fluff?” Nick said as he finished the last of his coffee. “Every city has an area like this.”  
  
“Bunnyburrow doesn't…” Judy said defensively.  
  
“It doesn't?” Nick asked skeptically. “It doesn't have that area where the poorer families have congregated? Or that farmstead that just isn't quite as profitable as some of the others?”  
  
“Well, when you put it like that maybe we do,” Judy admitted before adding, “Just wish they would let us clean this mess up.”  
  
“How would you go about that, Fluff?” Nick asked. “Remember, this mess is a direct effect of what Mayor Swineton did to the predators. Most of the families here have been stuck in this for over two generations now.”  
  
“Well, we should start patrolling the area for starters,” Judy said.  
  
“To what end Fluff?” Nick asked. “Prostitution is just the tip of the iceberg here. Drug problems, theft, and who knows what else goes on here. And look around; there aren’t a lot of businesses, let alone ones hiring. Most of the mammals trapped here didn't even finish high school.”  
  
“So, what, we just turn a blind eye?” Judy asked. “Look around, Nick, these mammals are suffering because of all this. We shouldn't just leave them like this. We should help.”  
  
“I’m not saying that at all Judy,” Nick said. “I’m just saying this is a larger problem than what the ZPD can handle alone.”  
  
“From what I can see we haven’t even tried,” Judy mumbled.  
  
“Maybe not Fluff. Take the next right,” Nick instructed. “But maybe dealing with Martin will help.”  
  
“Do you and Daisy own a lot of property around here?” Judy asked as she made the right paw turn that Nick indicated.  
  
“No,” Nick answered bluntly. “While the property values are low, the mammals here, for the most part, wouldn't make great tenants.”  
  
“Nick, who are we meeting here?” Judy asked. “Why wouldn’t they make good tenants?”  
  
“Finnick,” Nick answered. “He spends most of his days at a place called The Den.” He looked over at her then the buildings on either side of the car. “Mostly because rent in this area is subsidized by the city. It should keep some of the mammals here from being homeless, but instead of giving the money directly to the landlords they give the money to the tenant.”  
  
“And that's a problem because it allows the mammal to pay their rent or not,” Judy said.  
  
“Beautiful and smart,” Nick said. “On top of that, Daisy informed me that it becomes near impossible to evict a mammal that hasn't paid their rent in months because of the subsidy. The city assumes that the mammal paws the money over to the landlord and forces us to jump through some pretty big legal hoops to evict.”  
  
Judy sighed and looked around. “I just wish there was something that could be done here.”  
  
“The problems in Happy Town took generations to get to this point, and will take generations to fix,” Nick said. “Pull into the parking lot on the left, Fluff.”  
  
Judy pulled the cruiser into the parking lot. Finnick’s van sat in one of the stalls; its paint and mural work seemed to have been freshly redone since she first saw it over a year ago. A few other cars sat in other spots, some newer than others. Most appeared out of place in the poverty of Happy Town.  
  
“Nick, what kind of place is The Den?” Judy asked cautiously.  
  
“You can wait in the car…” Nick started.  
  
“No, you’re my partner and we are on this case together. NNow, what are we are walking into here?” Judy said forcefully.  
  
“Not a place I would typically take you, Fluff,” Nick answered with a sigh. “Most of the mammals in there are going to have ties with the mob or local gangs.” He looked over at her. “You’ll more than likely be the only prey in the entire place.”  
  
Judy nodded and checked the charge on her taser before reholstering it. “You sure Finnick will have a lead for us?” She asked.  
  
“He might not,” Nick admitted. “But he’s always been able to get information he shouldn't have had before.”  
  
Judy nodded as they both opened their doors to get out. Her ears were immediately assaulted with the thumping beats of rap music she couldn't understand. She glanced over at Nick as she fell into step beside him. The music got louder but no less coherent the closer to the building they got. Nick pulled open the outer door for Judy, and she stepped inside with him close behind her.  
  
“Oy!” the coyote by the door exclaimed as they stepped into the small room. “I didn't realize it was bring your own snack night!”  
  
“We’re here to see Finnick,” Judy said.  
  
“Well, now, cutie why don't you step on over here and see if we can work something out fer you and yer friend.” The coyote leered hungrily at Judy as she glanced at Nick, who just nodded and stepped to the side, giving her room.  
  
“See, even homes over there knows bet…” the coyote started as he stepped closer to Judy. Judy sprung, flipping herself into a handstand as she curled her powerful hind legs to her chest then launched herself at the coyote, her feet catching him in the solar plexus and propelling him into the cheap plywood door that kept the room divided from the main part of the bar. The door and the coyote crashed to the floor in a hail of splintered wood, causing whoever was playing the horrible music to turn it off.  
  
Nick took his aviators off as he stepped through the wreckage of the door and tucked them away into the inner pocket of his jacket as he looked around all eyes on him. The bar patrons were an odd mix of foxes, coyotes, and hyenas. The bar's atmosphere was thick with smoke and the smell of cheap booze.  
  
“What?” Nick asked as he looked around. “He called her cute.”  
  
He could physically feel the eyes of the patrons move from him to Judy as she stepped through the doorway and onto the groaning, mangled mess of coyote.  
  
“Heh,” started a deep booming laugh that slowly transformed into a full belly laugh from some mammal in the crowd. “Riddle me this, boys,” the same voice started after a few minutes. “What looks like a fox but reeks like a pig?”  
  
“I don't know Big Guy, still working that diaper?” Nick asked as they made their way deeper into the bar. Judy walked alongside Nick as the crowd parted for them, fighting hard to keep her nose from twitching.  
  
“Looks like the bunny cop didn’t fully take your balls if you have the nerve to come in here and ask me that,” Finnick said from a table. A bright red furred vixen in a short white dress sat on his left paw side.  
  
Nick studied his former partner in crime, a short stubby cigar in his right paw. His left held a tumbler of amber liquid. He wore a well-tailored black suit with a white dress shirt. The collar of the shirt was unbuttoned, and his light brown eyes studied Nick back.  
  
“What brings you here Nick, and don’t give me no crap about wanting to see an old friend,” Finnick said his deep voice rumbling in the quiet of the bar.  
  
“Maybe I just wanted you to meet the misses,” Nick stated flatly.  
  
“I met her and sent her your way, remember?” Finnick asked. “You was supposed to hustle her out of her pants, bend her fluffy tail over that stupid lawn chair of yours, and get your rocks off so we could go back to makin’ money.”  
  
Nick smiled. “I happen to remember that's what you told me to do.”  
  
“So what happened?” Finnick asked. “We had a good gig going.”  
  
“Good gig for chump change,” Nick scoffed. “Maybe you were ok with making 40 dollars a day wearing a diaper and getting pushed around in a stroller, but I wanted more.”  
  
  
The nervous laugh of the other predators only served to anger Finnick more. “Then we could have gone for a bigger hustle!” Finnick waved his cigar at Judy. “No need to go get tied up with a bunny! No need to become a cop!”  
  
“Tell me Fin, how's life working out for you?” Nick asked. “Keeping Amanda there well paid? What happened to Samantha? Wasn’t she carrying your kits?” Nick looked thoughtful for a moment. “Or maybe that was Becky.”  
  
“Why are you here Nick?” Finnick asked his voice almost no better than a growl. “To rub my nose in your good fortune?”  
  
“I need a name, Fin,” Nick said.  
  
“You’ll need to be a little more specific, homes. I have a lot of names, and none of them are worth putting poor Jose over there through my door.” Finnick said.  
  
“Martin Flannigan has a mole inside the ZPD; I need to know who,” Nick answered him.  
  
Finnick stared at Nick for a long time. “I don't know who you’re talkin’ about,” he answered.  
  
“You know, Martin Flannigan, zebra with a really thick stripe on his face,” Nick answered.  
  
“Oy, I know who he is, I just no clue who his mole is,” Fin answered smoothly.  
  
“Bullshit, Fin!” Nick all but yelled at him. “That son of a bitch is peddling kits! Kits, Fin! Even the lowest scum here in Happy Town knows better than that shit!”  
  
“Heh, look at you homes, tryin’ a play all bad cop here in my place,” Fin said unphased. “I don't know nothin about a mole.”  
  
“I don’t believe that,” Nick said low and threateningly.  
  
“I don't care what you believe,” Fin said calmly, “Just go believe it someplace else.”  
  
“Nick…” Judy said speaking up, “Come on let's go home.”  
  
Nick nodded, shooting his former partner in crime a withering look just before being lead to the door.  
  
“Hey Slick!” Fin called just as they got to the door. “You remember Danel, right?”  
  
Nick turned and looked Fin. “From over on third?”  
  
“Yeah, was a good kit,” Fin said.  
  
“What about him?” Nick asked.  
  
"Shame you didn't come around two weeks ago," Finnick said as he tapped the ashes from his cigar casually. "You could have attended his wake."  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to give special thanks to Pandora for Hipp Hopps name.  
> The name originates from rose hips so it fit but also the wordplay amused me.


	10. Episode 10: Something Stinks

# Episode 10: Something Stinks

  
  
“All the places I've been and things I've seen  
A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams  
The faces of people I'll never see again  
And I can't seem to find my way home”  
Far From Home ~ Five Finger Death Punch  
  
  
Judy glanced over at Nick, who looked out the passenger side window. “I’m sorry he didn’t give us anything useful Slick.”  
  
“I’m not so sure Fluff,” Nick said thoughtfully. “For Finnick to bring up Danel…it has to mean something.”  
  
“What makes you think that?” Judy asked. “It sounded like a friend of yours.”  
  
“Because Danel was a junky, he was next to useless; if he wasn't stoned out of his mind he was only looking for his next score,” Nick explained. “You couldn't rely on him for anything. Finnick actually hated the guy.”  
  
“Well, that doesn't make much sense. The ZPD would never let someone like that into its ranks,” Judy mused. “But what if it’s someone connected to Danel?”  
  
“It’s possible we might have to do some digging. Wolves are very patriarchal, and I haven’t run into any wolves on the force with the last name of Moonson,” Nick said.  
  
“So we should head back to the office then,” Judy said excitedly.  
  
“How about we head home for the night instead?” Nick asked.  
  
“But we have a lead, Nick!” Judy exclaimed.  
  
“Cotton wants to MuzzleTime tonight, and it's not like our lead won’t still be there in the morning,” Nick explained.  
  
Judy looked over at Nick. “But…”  
  
_You're doing it again,_ her inner voice chimed in. Judy looked over at Nick, who looked tired and worn out as his head leaned against the passenger side window. _He’ll_ _go to the office if that's what you really want…_  
  
“You’re right,” Judy said. “It's been a long day. Let's go home.”  
  
Nick smiled and looked over at her. “Thank you, Judy.”  
  
“Besides, I would hate for you to miss your hot date with the cute little bunny,” Judy said jokingly.  
  
“Yes, I’ll make sure our niece thanks you as well,” Nick said. “Nice bun-fu on that coyote by the way. Maybe we can send letters to all the criminals to post lackeys outside their doors so you can use their face as a breaching tool. Just think of all the sore shoulders you’ll save me!”  
  
Judy’s ears fell. “I honestly didn’t expect the door to come down. I didn't think I even hit the guy that hard.”  
  
“Well, if the bar is truly Fin’s then it doesn't surprise me. He always wanted to cut corners; he wanted to recycle the popsicle sticks by just reusing them for a few days.” Nick said.  
  
“That's just gross. I probably could have arrested you then,” Judy stated.  
  
“Then I guess it was a good thing I was the brains behind that operation,” Nick said.  
  
“Well, the paint on his van looked well done,” Judy stated flatly as the scenery changed from the slums back to the city center.  
  
“Yeah, the one thing he refused to ever cut corners on was his van,” Nick stated.  
  
“I’m told you can tell a lot about a mammal from what he values,” Judy said as she turned down a side street toward home.  
  
Nick looked over at her and smiled.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy smiled as Nick had just enough time to slip off his jacket and the shoulder holsters underneath before his phone started ringing. “That must be your hot date, Slick. Better not keep her waiting! I’ll order us some takeout for dinner,” Judy said playfully as she took his holsters and headed for their bedroom.  
  
“Hey Uncle Nick,” Cotton said, a little more subdued than usual, but no less cheerfully.  
  
“Hey Cotton Ball, how are you doing today?” Nick asked.  
  
“Ok, I guess.” Cotton answered her ears drooped.  
  
“What's wrong?” Nick asked.  
  
Cotton sighed and looked away for a moment before she answered. “Grandma and Grandpa are fighting again.”  
  
“I’m sure they’re not mad at you, Cotton Ball,” Nick said kindly. “I don't think anyone could be mad at you too long.”  
  
“Grandpa thinks you did something with an inspector.” Cotton said. “You didn't do anything did you, Uncle Nick?”  
  
“Inspector?” Nick asked. “Cotton, I promise you I didn't do anything.”  
  
Cotton looked relieved. “That's what I tried to tell Grandpa, but he said some mean things about you, and then Grandma started yelling, and they’ve been fighting ever since.”  
  
“Oh, I see,” Nick said. “Well I'm sure it has nothing to do with you Cotton Ball. How’s Robin doing?”  
  
“He's great! I've been hugging him all day.” Cotton admitted. “He still smells kinda like you.”  
  
“He probably will for a long time,” Nick said.  
  
“Uncle Nick?” Cotton said softly.  
  
“Go on Cotton,” Nick answered.  
  
“I think it has something to do with the well,” Cotton said quietly, almost like she was afraid to be overheard.  
  
“What makes you think that?” Nick asked.  
  
“Aunt Sammy asked me to tell her the story about how you came and rescued me.” Cotton answered. “Uncle Nick, I'm scared. One of the older kits said that I may not be here anymore soon.” Cotton started to tear up. “They said someone is going to come and snatch me away, an…an…an I won't be able to talk to you anymore.” Cotton started to bawl as she added “They said they would take Robin away…”  
  
Nick's ears fell flat. “Cotton, listen to me, no one is coming to snatch you away, and no one is taking Robin from you. Grandma promised, remember?”  
  
Cotton kept crying, causing the video feed to shake as sobs racked her small body. “They said I'm not a real Hopps,” she said between sobs.  
  
“Cotton, listen to me, go get Robin and hug him. I'm going to call your Grandma right now and find out what's going on.” Nick frowned as the video feed cut. _Just what in_ _fluff’s_ _name is going on out there?_ he thought to himself and walked down the hall. _I wonder if_ _Judy’s_ _on the phone…_ The sound of running water answered the question for him as he turned back around and went back to the living room.  
  
Nick unlocked his phone, pulled up his contact list, and flipped through his numerous contacts with practiced ease until he found the one for Bonnie. He quickly pressed the video call option and waited for the call to connect.  
  
“Hey, Nick…” Bonnie said as the call connected. It took him all of a few seconds to get the feeling that something was wrong.  
  
“Bonnie, what's going on?” Nick asked.  
  
“Oh, you know, typical farm things.” Bonnie attempted to deflect. “Why do you ask?”  
  
“Cotton is very upset. One of the older kits said some pretty mean things to her, and she’s of the opinion that whatever you and Stu are fighting about is either her or my fault,” Nick said bluntly. “She was told someone is going to come to snatch her away and that she's not a real Hopps.”  
  
Bonnie blinked at him and seemed to deflate a bit in her office chair before she answered. “I received a letter from Social Services a few days ago, just after you and Judes went back to the city.” Bonnie sighed. “They’re concerned about the injuries that Cotton sustained falling down the well.”  
  
“But she's ok…” Nick stated.  
  
“She is, yes, but…” Bonnie looked into the phone. “That case you and Jude were working, the one where you guys arrested that father selling his kits?” she asked. “I guess it’s forced the state to pay more attention to rabbit families.” Bonnie looked away from the phone again, looking almost ashamed. “Add that to the fact that Cotton is a foster kit.”  
  
Nick was quiet for a moment. “Bonnie, she's four.”  
  
“I know how old she is…” Bonnie almost snapped at him before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Look, it's not like we don't love her, but a part of me had hoped Judith would settle down and…”  
  
“Have a litter of her own and adopt Cotton herself?” Nick asked.  
  
Bonnie nodded. “Look Nick, I’m not asking you to do anything. This is our problem, and I'm sure it will work itself out.” She paused at Nick's frown. “But she’s loved and wanted here…”  
  
“I know she's loved there, Bonnie,” Nick said gently. “If that were the only problem you wouldn't be this nervous…”  
  
Bonnie closed her eyes for a moment before she answered. “They’re coming to inspect the farm, and as of this morning we have at least three maybe four open wells, counting the one Cotton fell into.”  
  
“Ok, so it's just a safety inspector; you'll probably just get a fine from the sound of it,” Nick said somewhat reassuringly.  
  
“Nick…” Bonnie started she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “If it were just the Bureau of Agricultural Safety, I wouldn't worry about it, but this is being led by Social Services out of Podunk.”  
  
“So they could take her,” Nick said quietly.  
  
“I don’t know.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The noise of the fur dryer drowned out even the hopping beats of the pop music Judy’s Spotifur app had chosen for the day. She had wanted nothing more than a hot shower and some food after the afternoon that they’d had. The smell of stale tobacco smoke and cheap booze had seemingly stuck to her fur after going to see Finnick at The Den.  
  
Flipping off the fur dryer and stepping into the bedroom she could hear Nick's voice in the living room having a conversation. _Still talking with Cotton?_ she asked herself, and shrugged.  
  
She walked over to his closet and started to peruse his rather large collection of Hawaiian shirts. She frowned as she couldn’t find the one she was looking for. “I guess the green one is still in the wash.” She thought to herself.  
  
Judy snagged the blue and gold shirt and slipped it on. She looked at herself in the mirror as she did up a few of the buttons. The hem of it came down to her knees, and the sleeves most of the way down her forearms, but it was soft and still smelled somewhat like him even though it had been laundered. _He's right, fox musk permeates everything,_ she thought to herself.  
  
She opened their bedroom door and started to walk down the hall. As she got closer, she could just start to make out what was being said.  
  
“I’ll talk with Judy, but if need be, I’m more than certain we’ll have no problem adopting her,” she heard Nick say to his phone as she entered the living room and froze.  
  
“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, dear,” She heard her mother say. “But…”  
  
“I’m not sure if you understand, Bonnie,” Nick said to her mother. “Cotton smells so much like Judy that I was one hundred percent certain that she was Judy’s kit.” Nick looked up at Judy before looking back at Bonnie on his phone. “Honestly Bonnie, when Judy told me about Cotton's mother…” He swallowed hard. “I was a little disappointed. I wouldn’t hold Judy’s past against her, as she hasn't held mine against me.”  
  
“I think I understand,” Bonnie said. “She's lucky to have you, as most males wouldn’t be that understanding of that sort of thing.”  
  
“Even in rabbit culture?” Nick asked as his eyes came up and he watched Judy, her ears fell down her back, and she had a deer caught in the headlight kind of look. “Doesn't that seem a little bit hypocritical?”  
  
Bonnie laughed. “Oh, it most certainly is. But regardless, I really don't think it will come to that.”  
  
“I hope not Bonnie, but if it does, we will happily open our home for her,” Nick said sincerely as he watched the range of emotions flash over his wife's face.  
  
“We’ll keep that in mind Nick. I should go find Cotton and see if I can get her to settle down,” Bonnie said.  
  
“Ok, Bonnie I’ll talk to you later,” Nick said.  
  
“Talk to you later Nick, give my love to Judes,” Bonnie said just before disconnecting the call.  
  
Nick slumped back into the couch and looked up at his wife. Judy stood just outside of the kitchen, her arms crossed in front of her chest, her left foot thumping against the floor. “So what did you just agree to, Slick?”  
  
Nick's eyes searched hers, his full of love and compassion, and answered directly. “It’s Cotton…”  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Bonnie sighed as she leaned back into her office chair and ran her paw over her face. _What a day…_ she thought to herself as she lightly tossed her phone onto her desk.  
  
“Grandma?” came the unmistakable voice of Cotton from the door of her office.  
  
Bonnie looked up to see Cotton standing there in her pajamas with her stuffed fox crushed against her chest. Bonnie smiled at the bunny. “Hey Cotton.”  
  
“Grandma, what does adopt mean?” Cotton asked innocently.  
  
“You heard that?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Cotton nodded.  
  
“Adoption is when some mammals take a kit to love as their own,” Bonnie explained.  
  
Cotton looked at her stuffed fox for a moment before stepping into the office. “James said I'm not a real Hopps today,” she explained. “He said that someone was going to come and snatch me away because Uncle Nick saved me from the well.” She looked down at the floor for a moment before looking up at Bonnie. “If Uncle Nick adopts me, would I be a Wilde then?”  
  
“James should never have said that to you,” Bonnie said softly. “No one is going to come to snatch you away, and definitely not because Uncle Nick did the right thing and saved your life. But yes, if Nick and Judy adopted you, you would then be a Wilde.”  
  
“I think I would like to be a Wilde.” Cotton said.  
  
Bonnie walked over and gathered Cotton and her stuffed fox up into her arms and walked over to the couch. “Why do you want to be a Wilde? Are you not happy being here?”  
  
Cotton looked at her stuffed fox and then back at Bonnie. “I’m the odd bunny,” she said just above a whisper.  
  
“What makes you say that?” Bonnie asked. “You're not odd.”  
  
“Because I'm the only bunny that doesn't have a mommy and a daddy. I have aunts and uncles and cousins and a grandma and a grandpa, even a pop-pop.” Cotton looked sad. “But no mommy and daddy.”  
  
“Cotton, honey…” Bonnie started.  
  
Cotton sniffed slightly. “I know something bad happened to my mommy; Aunt Judy never told me, but…” she looked up at Bonnie. “If I’m adopted, does that mean Uncle Nick and Aunt Judy become my mommy and daddy?”  
  
Bonnie held Cotton tightly to her. “Yes, if Judy and Nick adopted you they would be your mommy and daddy. Would you want that?”  
  
“I think so…” Cotton answered.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Are you sure about this?” Judy asked softly. “I understand it’s Cotton but…”  
  
“I told you I wouldn’t leave her out in the cold, Fluff,” Nick said. “She’s family, and I would rather have her here with us than with some strangers that may or may not love her, or….” He shuddered at the thought of something even worse happening to her.  
  
“I understand. It’s just such a big step for us. We did only just get married, and we started a new case…” Judy said, her paws softly stroking his tail. “And there’s so much we’d need to do.”  
  
“We might need to look into houses out in Meadowlands…” Nick said, looking thoughtful. “Daisy said the school districts out there are better funded and not nearly as overcrowded as inner city ones.”  
  
“Nick, she's four; I think we can stay here at least another year,” Judy said flatly and sighed. “But daycare will need to be looked into. That's even if we get to adopt her.”  
  
Nick's ears splayed out. “But…”  
  
Judy chuckled and shook her head as she looked up at him. “For someone that says they wouldn’t make a good father, you’re the one sitting there already worrying about school districts.”  
  
“I’m not sure I’d want to raise a kit in the city center, Fluff,” Nick said.  
  
“Relax Nick, it's not like we’re going to send her outside to play…” Judy said.  
  
“That's just the point Fluff, there isn't even a real outside here, let alone other bunnies to play with,” Nick said. “But there are those things in the Meadowlands.”  
  
“Well, it's going to add some time to our commute…” Judy said. “Means you might have to get up earlier. Besides, I'm sure she’ll make friends wherever we live.” She sighed and rested her head against his chest. “Look I don't mean to curb your enthusiasm, but I think you’re overlooking a pretty big obstacle here.”  
  
“What obstacle might that be Fluff?” Nick asked.  
  
“We might not even be eligible to adopt her; we do have pretty high-risk jobs.” Judy paused for a long moment.  
  
“I feel there is an unspoken ‘and’ in their Carrots,” Nick said quietly.  
  
Judy closed her eyes. “While it doesn't matter to me, as I love you regardless and it doesn't matter to my mother, and obviously I think Cotton would be thrilled with the idea…” She opened her eyes and looked up at him. “You’re not a rabbit, and since we’re a mixed species couple it might matter to Social Services.”  
  
Nick's head thumped back against the back of the couch, and a low almost pitiful whine escaped him. “So…”  
  
Judy sighed and pressed a finger to his lips silencing him. “That's not all,” she said as she cut him off. “While I know without a shadow of a doubt that you would be a dutiful and loving father, you have a pretty rare medical condition. One, might I add, that someone has already attempted to use against you.” Judy wrapped her arms around his chest tightly as she felt him deflate beside her. “I’m not saying we don’t try,” she added softly.  
  
The low, mournful whine that Nick let out almost broke her heart. Judy let go of his chest and straddled his lap pulling his head down so she could look him in the eyes. “Nick, listen to me,” she told him, and smiled as his eyes opened ever so slightly. “If Mom and Dad can't keep taking care of her, we will fight for her. I promise you we won't stop until they give us a good reason why we can’t adopt Cotton ourselves.”  
  
Nick took a deep breath and nodded his arms wrapped around the small force of nature in his lap. “Ok Fluff, ok.”  
  
Judy smiled slightly as she tucked her head up under his muzzle and just relaxed. “I had a feeling this might come up and was worried that I might have to hustle you into wanting to adopt her,” she admitted.  
  
She felt as well as heard Nick snort, his lungs sounding almost like bellows in her ears. “Is that why you wanted a ‘Nick Wilde Favor’ Fluff?”  
  
“Could be,” she admitted.  
  
“Sly bunny,” he said as his stomach rumbled.  
  
“Hungry fox; let’s get some food into you.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
The leopard reached into the washing machine and pulled out an armload of laundry as he grumbled to himself. “Worth 1.5 billion dollars and here I am making sure shit stains get washed off polar bear underwear.” His stomach rumbled as he took a step back from the washer and hit something hard.  
  
“Mmmmm you need to watch where you are going, da?” grumbled the mountain of fur and muscle behind him. “Guard will not always be here to protect you, Cupcake.”  
  
Cuppaw tilted his head back and looked up at the angry visage of the polar bear behind him. He swallowed nervously as his eyes glanced over to the bored looking red wolf guard who leaned against the wall lazily.  
  
“Madison, Cupcake, back to work!” The guard barked at them the humiliating nickname, causing the rest of the inmates to snicker.  
  
Cuppaw turned and stepped around the giant polar bear to dump a load of laundry into the dryer. His stomach rumbled again. “Stupid mammals can't even get dietary requirements right; four times this week my name has ended up on the vegetarian meal list.”  
  
Cuppaw eyed the mammals around him, three polar bears and an arctic wolf. Madison was easily the largest of the bunch, over 2,000 pounds of solid muscle and hate. Cuppaw swallowed nervously as he went to get another armload of laundry. _Stupid rabbit should have been a sandwich,_ he thought to himself, making his stomach growl again.  
  
“Roh oh,” said the arctic wolf. “Sounds like Cupcake is thinking about rabbits again.”  
  
Cuppaw braced himself as he gathered another load of laundry. Typically the quip would cause a round of laughter or even a bit of ribbing about rabbit stew, but when he emerged from the washing machine warning bells went off in his head. His way to the dryers was blocked by the three polar bears, and his eyes darted up to the camera pointed into the room, just to see the red light on it wink out.  
  
“Mr. Big thanks you for this opportunity and forgives your family's debt to him,” the arctic wolf told the guard just before his fist smashed into the guard's chin, crumpling him to the floor.  
  
Cuppaw turned his attention back in front of him just in time to see Madison's huge paw slam into his face. The sickening the sound of cartilage and bones breaking in his face reminded him of the crack of the kits bones. He crumpled to the floor in front of the washing machine, only to be hauled back to his feet. He coughed, spitting up more than a little blood and a few teeth as the two smaller polar bears held him up.  
  
“Yes, don’t die that easily, little kitty, that barely hurt at all, da?” Madison asked him darkly. “What is it news program say you do to bunny?”  
  
“Comrade, I believe they say he skinned them alive, no?” one of the other polar bears answered.  
  
“Da,” answered both the arctic wolf and the third polar bear.  
  
The arctic wolf bent down and pulled a folding knife from the pocket of the knocked out guard. He flipped it open and studied the blade for a moment before walking over and offering it to Madison.  
  
Madison looked at the small blade in his massive paw before turning his attention back to Cuppaw. “Dis, dis will be fun. Remember to scream like little girl,” he told Cuppaw.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Amanda sighed as she walked into the worn apartment and tossed her keys and pawbag onto the counter as she walked past it. She collapsed onto the couch, took off her glasses, and groaned.  
  
_It’s_ _been a long day,_ she thought to herself. She enjoyed the dark of the apartment, the city lights filtered in through the blinds on the window casting everything in light blues and yellows. _Mr. Wilde suspects something,_ she thought to herself. _I_ _told_ _them this was a bad idea that there weren’t enough fishers in this area for me to blend in well._  
  
_If I have to go up and down those stupid stairs one more time…_ she thought to herself, just as her cell phone started to ring. Groaning, she slowly got up and walked across the room to her purse and fished out her cellphone.  
  
“Thacho,” she answered as she held her phone up to her ear, entered the kitchenette, and opened the fridge. She listened to the voice on the other end of the call as she looked for something to fix for dinner.  
  
“Yes, yes they came in today, but I'm still uncertain that I was…” She sighed as she was interrupted and pulled out a couple of oranges and some cricket sausage. “Look, it's not that I can’t do the job, it's just that Mr. Wilde is already suspicious of me based on the file you supplied…”  
  
She rolled her eyes as she placed a frying pan onto her stove and turned on the burner. “Look, based on his performance on the range and his medical condition he frightens me, and you are not going to be the one staring down the barrel of his gun if this goes wrong.” She pinched the bridge of her nose as she turned back to the counter, holding the phone between her cheek and shoulder. “Yes, yes I understand and yes I agree it's too convenient…”  
  
She let go of her nose and opened her eyes once again, looking down at the package of sausage as she once again listened. _Won't these fools ever listen to me?_ she thought to herself. “Look, that fox was trained by someone; he didn't just end up at the academy shooting like that…” She groaned as she opened the package of sausage and dumped them into the frying pan. “Look, I know it's not my concern…”  
  
She sighed as she listened and got a fork out of a drawer. “Yes sir,” she answered as she leaned a hip against the counter. “Yes, sir I will keep an eye on them,” She answered again. “No sir I did not know they went to Happy Town, no sir I do not know who they met with.” The smell of frying sausage slowly started to fill the air of the kitchenette, causing her stomach to rumble. “Yes sir, I will try to find out.” she turned the sausages over, so they didn't cook too much on one side, and sighed. “Will you see about expanding my expense account, please? Things are more expensive here…”  
  
She sighed as the line went dead. “I don’t get paid enough for this,” she said out loud to the empty apartment.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy’s ears perked up at the single faint buzz her phone made as it received a message. There were very few mammals that her phone would notify her of an incoming message at this time in the morning. The primary one was currently serving as her blanket; the other was her mother. Any emergency with the ZPD would call instead of sending a text.  
  
Judy cracked an eye open and saw that the light that diffused through the thick fur of her cocoon was still reasonably dim. _Still early in the morning,_ she thought to herself. Her phone buzzed again, causing Nick to groan slightly.  
  
She sighed and slowly squirmed her way out of her warm foxy cocoon. Sliding over to the edge of the bed, she picked up her phone and looked at the messages and the time.  
  
_4:45 in the carrot pickin’ morning,_ she thought to herself.  
  
Bonnie: Morning Judes hope it's not too early, please call me before going to work  
Bonnie: It's about Cotton.  
  
She slid off the bed and looked around the room. She spotted the Hawaiian shirt she had worn the night before where it had been tossed aside by Nick. She smiled at the more than pleasant memories as she slipped it on. She stretched and padded as silently as she could down the hallway to the living room and kitchen.  
  
She flipped on the kitchen light and grabbed the kettle as she made her way over to the sink. Judy stepped up onto the small step ladder and leaned against the sink as she filled the kettle with fresh water. She stepped down off the ladder and with a practiced push of her foot sent it sliding over in front of the stove.  
  
Judy sighed as she climbed back up the step ladder. _Nick_ _offered to have the kitchen and bathroom renovated with custom sliding steps for me,_ she reflected as she climbed back up the ladder. _It would have let me walk from the sink to the stove…_ She shook her head as she placed the kettle on the burner and turned it on.  
  
Judy pulled out her phone and called her mom as she started the stove, not expecting her mom to pick up right away.  
  
“Good morning Jude, hope I didn't wake you up,” Bonnie said as she saw her daughter finish her yawn.  
  
“No Mom, I routinely get up at 4:45 in the morning and pull myself from the comfort of my warm fox,” Judy said as she placed a tea bag into her mug.  
  
“Here I thought maybe Nick had worn you out last night; I might need to have a word or two with your fox,” Bonnie said, then looked thoughtful. “Then again, you’ve probably just grown soft and went back to your city slicker ways.”  
  
“Mooom,” Judy hissed and blushed, her inner ears burning bright red. _It is way too early for this,_ she thought to herself. “You said you needed to talk about Cotton?” Judy asked, deflecting the conversation away from her love life.  
  
“Yes, I do.” Bonnie sighed. “She heard my conversation last night with Nick.”  
  
“Oh?” Judy asked as the kettle started to whistle. She poured the hot water into her mug and slowly began to dunk her steeping tea bag.  
  
Bonnie's ears fell from their upright position. “She wants a family…”  
  
“Mom, she has a family,” Judy replied as she stepped down off of the ladder and made her way to the couch. She tossed her tea bag into the trash on her way past it.  
  
“Of course she does Jude, and we all love her very much, it’s just that…” Bonnie started.  
  
“Just what Mom?” Judy asked as she sat on the couch and sipped her tea.  
  
“She wants a mother and father,” Bonnie answered.  
  
“Oh,” Judy replied and looked away, thoughtful.  
  
“Nick seemed very keen on the idea of adopting her…” Bonnie hinted.  
  
“Keen? He’s already talking about moving to the Meadowlands for a better school district,” Judy said.  
  
“Really?” Bonnie asked. “I knew he liked her but…”  
  
“Mom, Nick loves me, but he adores Cotton,” Judy interrupted.  
  
“Your father wants us to go on and adopt her,” her mother told her. “But I fear that we might not be able to.”  
  
“Why is that?” Judy asked. “You guys have plenty of land….”  
  
“We have a lot of commercial agricultural land, but we are just about maxed out on the homestead plot,” Bonnie answered. “And, well, we are getting along in our years Jude; we’re no longer a pair of spring chickens.”  
  
“Mom, you guys aren’t that old…” Judy started.  
  
“No dear, but I'm afraid we might be too old to adopt…” Bonnie started.  
  
“Well, I did promise Nick we would fight for her,” Judy said as she took a sip of her tea.  
  
“You mean that?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Yes Mom. I raised Cotton until I went into the Academy; she's just as much as my kit as anyone else's, and Nick is very attached to her,” Judy said. “Legally there should be nothing baring us from adopting her.”  
  
“Even with Nick's condition?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“We’ll need to speak to an adoption lawyer,” Judy said.  
  
“I was going to talk to the Social Worker, depending on how the inspection goes next week,” Bonnie said before she looked away slightly. “I don't think it's going to go well, as I doubt that we’ll be able to get the wells capped in time,” she admitted.  
  
“Even with Samantha working on it?” Judy asked.  
  
“We got the first of the caps made last night, and she reported this morning that the concrete should be set enough by tomorrow to move it using heat lamps and something else she cooked up,” Bonnie said. “But we still have to move it, and the mud this year is bad.”  
  
“I see,” Judy said.  
  
“We already have two stuck trucks this morning, and the kits have yet to get off to school,” Bonnie said. “Not to mention we need to bring in the vegetables from the greenhouses still…”  
  
“I will talk with Nick and see if we can get an appointment with a lawyer as soon as possible,” Judy said. “If we can take this bit of stress off of you, we will.”  
  
“Thank you,” Bonnie said as she looked thoughtful. “It's nice to have one bunny involved in this that isn't being a jackrabbit.”  
  
Judy looked shocked at her mother's sudden epithet. “Mom, is everything ok between you and Dad?” Judy asked gently.  
  
“Your father is just being his normal self,” Bonnie explained.  
  
“So, stubborn and hard-headed?” Judy asked.  
  
Bonnie nodded. “He seems to think this is all Nick's fault. In reality, it's it’s the fault of him and that drunk brother of yours.”  
  
Judy looked confused for a moment. “What did Alan have to do with Cotton falling down the well?”  
  
“Your father assigned the work to him, and he half tailed it like normal,” Bonnie answered. “I’ve told your father the only thing that boy is good for is counting boxes, yet he insists on giving him more than menial tasks.”  
  
“I see,” Judy said as she sipped her tea.  
  
Bonnie sighed. “I’m sorry Jude, I shouldn't unload on you like that, it's just…” She looked away from the phone and sighed. “I'm afraid of how your father is going to put his hind paw in his mouth next week,” she admitted.  
  
“Mom,” Judy started but was interrupted as her alarm started going off, mirrored by the sound of Nick's down the hall. _Have we_ _really been talking that long?_ she asked herself.  
  
“I take it you need to go, Jude?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Yeah, time to get Nick up and make the world a better place,” Judy answered after turning off her alarm. She could hear Nick's groans down the hall.  
  
“You do that dear, and tell Nick I said good morning,” Bonnie said just before the call cut out.  
  
Judy stared at her phone for a moment before she placed it in the pocket of the Hawaiian shirt and started to walk down the hall to their bedroom. _Mom must be more stressed than I thought,_ she thought to herself.  
  
Nick was still lying in the center of the bed, his phone now sitting on the bed beside him from where he’d shut off his alarm. “Nick…” Judy called out softly as she neared the bed. “It's time to get up…”  
  
Nick grumbled a bit and stretched. “How’s Bonnie?” he asked, his eyes sliding open to regard her.  
  
“How did you…” Judy started to ask.  
  
“Only reasons you would get out of bed are work and your mom,” Nick answered. “And since you didn't come screaming about some emergency…”  
  
“You forgot to add yourself to that list,” Judy said with a smile.  
  
“Well I was in this bed, and you still got out of it,” Nick quipped as he stretched again, his back popping a few times.  
  
“Touché,” Judy said, conceding the point.  
  
“Thank you,” Nick said, his face splitting into a grin in the early morning light. “Yours looks good as well.”  
  
“My what?” Judy asked confused.  
  
“Your tush,” Nick answered with a wink.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Hey, Carrots, caralatte or tea?” Nick asked from the passenger seat of the cruiser.  
  
“Nick we are not even at Snarlbucks yet….” Judy abolished.  
  
“I'm ordering with the app,” Nick explained. “You were pretty understanding about heading home last night after our trip to Happy Town…”  
  
“Wait, you're telling me that all this time you could have ordered with the app?” Judy asked.  
  
“Of course, and I have in the past; how do you think I've gotten in and out of that place so fast in the morning?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy huffed and eyed him. “Caralatte…” she answered his question. “Oh, and a chocolate banana muffin too.”  
  
Nick nodded and entered their order into the app. “How was Bonnie this morning?” he asked.  
  
“Stressed about how Dad is going to put his paw in his mouth,” Judy answered. “But she's supportive of us adopting Cotton.”  
  
“That's good to hear,” Nick said as he pressed order on the app. “There, we should be able to pick it up by going through the drive-through.”  
  
“That will save us a bit of time. We could have done that before this, Slick,” Judy said.  
  
“Hey, what can I say, I'm a social animal,” Nick said with a smile as he slid his sunglasses on his muzzle.  
  
“Well, Mr. Social Animal, know any family lawyers?” Judy asked. “Preferably ones that specialize in adoptions?”  
  
Nick was quiet for a moment. “No, but I know someone that could possibly recommend one to us.”  
  
“I told Mom we would talk to one,” Judy said. “There’s a chance we might not need to, but I think we should start getting our ducks in a row just in case.”  
  
Nick nodded and unlocked his cellphone once again. “I’ll get us an appointment then.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Wilde,” Amanda greeted them some twenty minutes later. She eyed their Snarlbucks bag and coffee cups.  
  
“Good morning Miss Thacho,” Nick greeted warming as they walked toward the security door.  
  
“I was wondering where you went yesterday afternoon?” Amanda asked. “Chief Bogo called for you.”  
  
Nick and Judy looked at each other. “We were following up on a lead,” Judy explained. “Did he say what he needed?”  
  
“No, he did not,” Amanda said. “Even after I offered to take a message.”  
  
“If our lead pans out we’ll be talking with Mr. Fisher about it this morning,” Nick added as he swiped his badge across the reader to be let in and held the door open for Judy.  
  
“That was odd,” Judy stated as they made their way down the hall to their office.  
  
“Very,” Nick said frowning.  
  
“We should follow up with Chief Bogo,” Judy said.  
  
“Bogo would’ve had Clawhauser contact us,” Nick said as they entered their office.  
  
“Maybe we’re looking for a mole in the wrong place?” Judy asked sitting down at her computer.  
  
“I don't know Fluff, Finn wouldn't have dropped that name if it wasn’t going to lead any place,” Nick said.  
  
“Well then why didn’t he just come out and say who the mole is if he knew?” Judy asked.  
  
“Why do you think, Detective Fluff?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy thought about it for a moment. “He might not know who the mole is, but his lead could direct us to who it could be.” She answered.  
  
Nick nodded. “There’s more to Danel Moonson than just being some druggie, otherwise Fin wouldn't have mentioned him.”  
  
“So you check ZPD records, and I check the DMV?” Judy offered.  
  
“Sounds good to me, and later we can follow up with Chief Buffalo Butt; but I swear, if he tries to give me more money…”  
  
Judy smiled at him. “Oh hush, we both know you won't do anything to the Chief.”  
  
“Really?” Nick asked. “Bet I could paint his horns pink without him noticing. Then he’d match his girlfriend.”  
  
“What makes you think she's his girlfriend? Couldn’t she be his daughter, or maybe some other form of family?” Judy asked as she typed on her keyboard.  
  
“Well, she could be, but remember I went through his financial statements yesterday. She's at the most 22 maybe 23, and there is no hint of a child support payment in his records for the last few years.” Nick answered. “And sorry Carrots, you don't go to a coffee shop every day a lady works because she’s family,” Nick answered as he logged into his own computer.  
  
“So you're saying you wouldn’t go visit Cotton every day if she worked at some coffee shop?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick stared at her for a moment and huffed. “Cotton’s different.”  
  
“If you say so, Slick,” Judy said with a smile.  
  
Nick glanced from his computer screen to her eyes and could see the mirth in them. “Fine, she could be his favorite niece or something,” he said dismissively.  
  
“Aww, that's cute.” Judy teased. “Is it Moonson or Moonsong?”  
  
“Moonson,” Nick answered. “And what's cute?” Typing away as his keyboard.  
  
“The cute little bunny rabbit has you wrapped around her little paw,” Judy said with a smile, her tone teasing and playful as she entered her search once again.  
  
“Well, well, well, isn't this interesting,” Nick said as he pulled up a computer file, ignoring her quip about being wrapped around Cotton’s paw.  
  
“Did you find something on our lead?” Judy asked. “I’m not finding anything in the DMV database.”  
  
“That I did, Fluff,” Nick said. “Seems Danel Moonson is an alias.”  
  
“Well don't keep me in suspense here Nick,” Judy said. “Who is he?”  
  
“I would tell you if I could Fluff, but the record is sealed; he is, or more aptly was, a confidential informant,” Nick said.  
  
“For who?” Judy asked. “We could just ask them.”  
  
“Oddly enough, that is sealed as well…” Nick said as he frowned.  
  
Judy sighed. “We’re going to have to talk to Mr. Fisher,” she said. “He's the only one we can get to have a judge unseal the records, which means we’ll need to explain how we got the name.”  
  
Nick chuckled. “Relax Carrots, I'm sure we can gloss over you turning Jose into a wrecking ball.”  
  
“It's not Jose that concerns me,” Judy said. “It means we might have to put Finnick’s name down on an official report,” she explained.  
  
Nick grinned ear to ear, almost like he won the lottery. “Nick! This is serious!” Judy exclaimed, “We have a leak, and if they track back Finnick as the source of our information…”  
  
“Relax Carrots, it's fine,” Nick said. “I set him up as one of my confidential informants as soon as I graduated the Academy. Just put his name as Pequeño Montón,” he explained.  
  
Judy stared at him looking unamused. “What?” Nick asked, feeling the weight of her stare. “Do I have something in my fur?” he asked, deflecting. “I have something in my fur don’t I?”  
  
Judy sighed. “What does it mean Slick?”  
  
“Who said it had to mean anything?” Nick asked.  
  
“Because, my dear sweet husband, your nicknames for mammals always mean something, even if it’s just to you,” she answered sweetly.  
  
“You know me too well Carrots; it means Small Heap,” Nick answered as he watched her face.  
  
“Nick!” Judy hissed. “You know if Fin ever found out about that…”  
  
“He would bite my face off?” Nick asked.  
  
“I think you would meet with that bat of his as well,” Judy added.  
  
“Yeah well, he would hate me even more if his name came up in an actual report,” Nick said. “He may not like my career change much, but he’s still my friend.”  
  
“Well if he wants a bite of your face, he'll have to go through me first,” Judy said, with an almost predatorial look in her eyes. “But that's awfully nice of you to look after him like that,” she added.  
  
Nick smiled as his phone beeped at him and he pulled it out of his pocket to check the notification. She watched as he raised an eyebrow and looked up at her.  
  
“Got anything going on at two today Fluff?” He asked.  
  
“Not that I'm aware of, why?”  
  
“We are meeting with a lawyer today at two then,” Nick answered as he typed a reply on his phone.  
  
“What kind?” Judy asked.  
  
“An adoption attorney,” Nick answered as he put away his phone. “And, if Daisy’s recommendation is correct, then the best in the city.”  
  
Judy looked at the clock and nodded. “I guess we need to go have our discussion with Mr. Fisher, it will probably take him the afternoon to get a judge to sign off on the record's release anyway.”  
  
“So Mr. Fisher, lunch then adoption attorney?” Nick asked.  
  
“We should clear our afternoon plans with Mr. Fisher; we might need to take our lunch to see the attorney,” Judy said as she locked her computer and got up.  
  
Nick nodded and sighed. “Yeah, we might. Hey, maybe Lorie has a table open tonight…..” he hinted as he locked his workstation and moved to follow her.  
  
“Lorie’s place is rather expensive Nick…” Judy said.  
  
“Yeah, but we’re celebrating.”  
  
“Oh? And just what are we celebrating?” Judy asked.  
  
“Taking the first steps to adding to our family,” Nick answered seriously.  
  
Judy glanced up at him and smiled. “Sentimental fox,” She said.  
  
Nick smiled at her as she knocked on Mr. Fisher's office door. “Enter,” came the call from the other side.  
  
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde!” beamed Mr. Fisher as they entered his office.  
  
Nick raised an eyebrow as Judy stated. “You seem to be in a very good mood this morning, Mr. Fisher.”  
  
“Oh I am! I received excellent news this morning!” Mr. Fisher stated. “A troublesome case you two dropped into my lap has solved itself.”  
  
Nick and Judy glanced at each other as they sat down in the chairs in front of the DA’s desk. “Umm, did the leak turn himself in last night?” Judy asked.  
  
“I wish it was that easy.” Mr. Fisher shook his head, his happiness taken down a bit. “No, Mathew Cuppaw was killed last night while on a work team.”  
  
“Oh,” Nick and Judy said simultaneously. “I guess we need…” Judy started.  
  
“No, this is firmly in the Department of Corrections court at the moment, and possibly the ZPD. It’s more important that you two figure out who Flannigan’s mole is.”  
  
“Well, in that case, we need your help,” Nick said.  
  
“Ok, how can I help?” Mr. Fisher asked.  
  
“We followed a lead in Happy Town yesterday,” Judy stated.  
  
“My old…” Nick paused for a moment. “Associate has a knack for collecting information and gave us a name.”  
  
“Great! We can get arrest….”  
  
“The name is that of a confidential informant; in fact, it’s so confidential that even the name of the officer that they were assigned to is sealed,” Judy said.  
  
Luke Fisher took off his glasses and rubbed his temples, sitting back in his chair a bit. “Who is the CI that you need?”  
  
“Danel Moonson,” Judy answered.  
  
Nick watched Mr. Fisher’s shoulders slump a bit. “Are you sure you need this name?” he asked after a few moments.  
  
“My informant wouldn't have dropped the name if it wasn't good intel,” Nick answered.  
  
Mr. Fisher nodded and sighed. “I think I can get some time with a judge this afternoon. I take it you need it unsealed without the controlling officer knowing?”  
  
“It very well could be that the controlling officer is our leak,” Judy answered.  
  
“Or even someone tied to the officer,” Nick stated. “Could be a spouse or maybe a mistress telling pillow talk.”  
  
Mr. Fisher put his glasses on and started to type on his computer. “This shouldn’t be too hard to get released to you,” he stated flatly as he pulled up the file.  
  
Judy closed her eyes. “Because Danel Moonson died two weeks ago?” she asked.  
  
Mr. Fisher took a deep breath. His eyes studied the two officers in front of him. _“Be careful, they have a way of digging into things that is unconventional at best,”_ Bogo’s warning rung in his ears.  
  
“My informant said we were two weeks late for his wake,” Nick explained. “Not that many mammals in Happy Town would morn Danel.”  
  
Judy opened her eyes. “It's what leads us to believe that it's more about the controlling officer than Danel himself.”  
  
Mr. Fisher moved the mouse over and looked through the schedules. “Ok, it looks like I can see Judge Fraser this afternoon around 2:30.”  
  
Judy glanced over at Nick and nodded. “We have a personal appointment this afternoon at 2 that we need to be at. We can work through lunch if need be.” She started.  
  
“Can I ask what the appointment is for?” Mr. Fisher asked. “I take it this has nothing to do with the case then.”  
  
“No, we’re meeting with an adoption attorney this afternoon,” Nick explained.  
  
“Oh, you two are already looking to adopt?” Mr. Fisher asked.  
  
“Our niece is a foster kit, and she may need a home soon,” Judy explained carefully.  
  
Luke Fisher looked at them both and his gaze softened somewhat. “Family is important,” he said kindly. “It’s the only thing that will be there long after this mess is cleaned up. Take whatever time you need; I’ll have Amanda call you once I have the file unsealed for you.”  
  
“Thank you, sir,” they both said as they rose to get back to work.  
  
“Nick, Judy,” Mr. Fisher called to them before they got to the door. “Do take lunch,” he said kindly as he went back to the paperwork on the desk before him.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hipp looked at the vast expanse of the Woolverton’s house through her car window. _I haven’t even asked my_ _brother-in-law_ _if he would be willing…_ she thought to herself as she opened her car door and got out.  
  
Her car was a Zooburu Impreza that looked like it had seen better days. The doors were all mismatched, and the paint was chipping in more places than not. But it ran well, and the tires were all perfectly matched and relatively new. _Gets me off of the farm better than those heavy trucks,_ she thought to herself as she moved around to the back hatch and opened it to rummage around in the supplies she had stored in the back.  
  
Hipp looked back up to the house again as she pulled out a still-new rabbit sized stability ball and paw pump. _Serendipity, why did I make that deal with this little doe?_ she thought to herself.  
  
_“I was going to be stew,”_ she heard Iris tell her again in her head. Hipp closed her eyes for a moment. _The hell this little girl has been through…_ She sighed as she looked back up at the house. _If she can deal with it, then I can talk to my_ _brother-in-law,_ _who I haven't said two words to after thanking him for cake._  
  
_It was interesting to watch a fox_ _adapting_ _to a rabbit household,_ she reflected as she picked up the stability ball and pump, shutting the rear hatch. _Not that I have any idea what a fox household is like considering I work primarily with prey._ She frowned slightly as she reflected and made her way up to the entryway. _Maybe the household adapted more than the fox did?_ she asked herself, remembering the way the kits slowly became less and less afraid of Nick and by extension the rest of her family. _Except_ _Dad;_ _Dad_ _still doesn't trust or like him._  
  
She shook her head, trying to clear thoughts of her brother-in-law out of her head as she pressed the doorbell and waited. She turned and looked back over the Woolverton fields that still laid dormant under a thick blanket of snow. Unlike her family's farm, the access road was paved, as well as the parking area. _Perhaps with the issues this winter_ _Dad_ _will finally ok Sam to pave the parking and access areas of the farmstead,_ she thought to herself. She could hear faint movement from the other side of the door, forcing her to turn back.  
  
“Good afternoon Miss Hopps,” Mrs. Woolverton greeted her as she opened the door.  
  
Hipp smiled. “Good afternoon Mrs. Woolverton. Please call me Hipp, I have a feeling I’ll be working with Iris for some time to come. How is she doing today?”  
  
Mrs. Woolverton smiled. “She has become a very determined little bunny, and please call me Meadow.”  
  
Hipp smiled at the news as she kicked off her thick rubber boots and set them down in the entryway. “That is good to hear. How far down the hallway has she made it?”  
  
“She’s made it almost halfway to the end,” Meadow answered. “And she walked to the dining room for both breakfast and lunch today. But she needs a break…” she answered, looking concerned.  
  
“Can you tell if it’s been fear or fatigue that makes her stop?” Hipp asked.  
  
“Perhaps both?” Meadow answered. “Greg found her this morning cowering under one of the hall tables.”  
  
Hipp nodded. “Did she run like the last time?”  
  
Meadow smiled. “No, but nor would she come out to him.”  
  
“Hopefully Greg isn’t taking it personally…”  
  
“I don’t believe he is; we understand that she’s had a tough life.”  
  
Hipp frowned. “That is putting it mildly, to say the least.”  
  
“Well yes; she was convinced for the longest time that her name was Stew,” Meadow said. “Such an ugly name for a beautiful girl.”  
  
Hipp smiled. “I happen to agree with you. Is she eating well?”  
  
“She eats everything we put in front of her, and sometimes then some,” Meadow answered. “At least she's no longer fighting for food and understands she can ask for more.”  
  
“Still having potty issues?” Hipp asked.  
  
“Not in a few days, I’m hopeful we have that solved,” Meadow answered.  
  
Hipp nodded. “I had planned to work more on her core today, but if she's making it that far down the hall and making it to the dining room, maybe it's more of a fear issue.”  
  
Meadow looked thoughtful as they walked down the hall to Iris’s room. “I think you might be correct.”  
  
“I wonder what she might be afraid of?” Hipp wondered out loud.  
  
“That’s the question you are going to have to figure out, isn't it?” Meadow asked.  
  
“Yes, I guess it is,” Hipp responded as they neared Iris’s door.  
  
“Well, I will leave you to it then,” Meadow said. “Good luck.”  
  
Hipp smiled as she entered Iris’s room. “Good afternoon Iris! Mrs. Woolverton told me you’ve been working hard on making it down the hall.”  
  
Iris looked up from her blanket in the corner of the room where she was reading her book and nodded. “Hello,” she greeted softly, placing her bookmark in her place and closing the book.  
  
“May I sit down?” Hipp asked.  
  
Iris nodded looking at the box and paw pump that Hipp carried warily.  
  
“Mrs. Woolverton said you made it to the dining room today,” Hipp said. “That is a lot of progress.”  
  
“For breakfast and lunch,” Iris said proudly. “But…” she trailed off, then looked down at her book.  
  
“But what, Iris?” Hipp asked softly and gently.  
  
“I hear them sometimes, and I want to hide…” she said.  
  
“Hear who?” Hipp asked.  
  
Iris shook her head no and looked away. She pulled her blanket over her lap and shivered slightly.  
  
“It’s ok, Iris,” Hipp said softly. “No one here wants to hurt you.”  
  
“It was always cold,” Iris said softly. “I had a friend.”  
  
“You did?” Hipp asked.  
  
Iris nodded. “He was brave.”  
  
“I think you're brave,” Hipp said quietly.  
  
Iris shook her head. “He was braver.” She paused. “Almost as brave as Nicholas.”  
  
“That's really brave then.”  
  
“He tried to escape,” Iris said. She looked back to Hipp. Hipp could see the sadness in Iris’s eyes. “He got out of the cage…”  
  
“Did he escape?” Hipp asked hopefully.  
  
Iris shook her head and asked. “What's that?” pointing to the pawpump.  
  
“It's an air pump,” Hipp answered, not wanting to push the young bunny any farther than she wanted to go.  
  
“What's it do?” Iris asked.  
  
“It pumps air into things like a ball,” Hipp answered.  
  
Iris cocked her head to the side and looked at the box. “Ball?” she asked.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy softly stroked Nick's tail as they waited in the rather upscale waiting room. The chairs were over large in order to easily accommodate many different sized mammals. Nick sat beside her in the chair, looking at his phone. She could feel his nervousness; the tip of his tail would flick ever so slightly every few seconds. She looked down at it in amazement. _This from the fox whose motto was never to see them get to you?_ she thought to herself.  
  
“Relax Nick,” Judy said.  
  
“Me, not relaxed?” Nick asked as he turned his attention from his phone down to her. “Since when?”  
  
“Yes you, and you haven't been relaxed since we left City Hall,” Judy answered. “I don't even think you were this nervous on our wedding day.”  
  
Nick cocked his head to the side and looked down at her. “That was different.”  
  
“How so?” Judy asked.  
  
“You accepted me, history and all,” Nick explained. “The ceremony was just a formality.”  
  
Judy nodded. “And you told Mom that you’ve already accepted Cotton into our pack.”  
  
Nick sighed and looked around the empty waiting room. “It’s my very…” He paused and thought carefully about what to say next. “Checkered history that worries me in this.”  
  
Judy nodded and looked up at him. “Remember your deal with the DA and federal prosecutor?”  
  
Nick nodded as the tip of his tail flicked once again in her lap. “Yeah…”  
  
“They agreed to purge it all in return for you becoming a cop, not pressing reckless endangerment charges, and paying your back taxes,” Judy said quietly. “The only thing we had on you anyway was the taxes.”  
  
“You hustled me again,” Nick said quietly.  
  
“Well, you're not complaining about how it turned out are you?” Judy asked.  
  
“Am I?” Nick asked. “No, I guess I’m not.”  
  
Judy smiled at him. “I love you, Nick.”  
  
“I love you too Judy,” he answered as his right ear turned toward the door.  
  
Judy smiled at him using her name, her own ears perking up. The door opened to reveal a female deer. She had a white face and underbelly, with brown starting just between her ears and flowing down along the curve of her long neck. Judy could see the white continued down her arms and was also confident it flowed down her legs as well. The doe wore a well-tailored black suit with a light blue dress shirt.  
  
“Mrs. and Mr. Wilde, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Rachel Sanderbuck, please step on back, and we’ll see what we can do to help you.” The deer held the door open for them as they slid out of the chair and walked together through it.  
  
“When Daisy contacted me saying you needed a lawyer to help represent you for adoption, I just had to take the case and was delighted that you two could come in on so short of a notice,” Rachel said as she led them down a long curving hallway.  
  
“Thank you, for taking our case on such short notice,” Judy said as they walked.  
  
“Think nothing of it. Daisy and Mr. Wilde's mother, rest her poor soul, helped me and my husband find and get financing for our first home some 15 or so years ago.” Rachel explained. “They have been our go-to realtors since.”  
  
Judy smiled and glanced up at Nick, whose expression remained neutral as they entered Rachel’s office. The office was nicely appointed, but set up more for the larger side of medium mammaldom.  
  
“Oh, ummm, I hope you two don't mind sharing a chair…” Rachel asked awkwardly. “I should have had another brought in for you.”  
  
“Don’t worry about it; Carrots and I have had to share a seat since I started at the ZPD,” Nick explained as he helped Judy climb up into the seat, before climbing up himself.  
  
Judy smiled as his tail wrapped back around her waist, the tip of it resting on her thigh.  
  
“Excellent!” Rachel said as she took her seat, looking over her desk at the mismatched pair in front of her. “What kind of adoption are we looking at doing?”  
  
Judy glanced up at Nick before she started. “Our four-year-old niece, Cotton, is a foster kit in my parents’ home. She was born in Podunk Correctional Center on March 7th, 2012 to my sister Jill, who was killed while serving out her sentence. I took care of her from the time she was born to my entrance into the Zootopia Police Academy,” she explained.  
  
“So you are already like a mother to her?” Rachel asked.  
  
Judy nodded. “Somewhat I guess. I always let her know I was her aunt, as I didn’t want to take the place of my sister in case she got out,” she answered.  
  
“I see; and why haven't your parents adopted her?” Rachel asked.  
  
“Mom had been hoping I would settle down with a nice buck, have a litter of my own, and adopt Cotton then,” Judy explained.  
  
“I see,” Rachel said as she took notes.  
  
“When did you meet Cotton, Mr. Wilde?” Rachel asked.  
  
“The night before Judy and I were to be married. We watched a movie together on Furflix,” Nick explained.  
  
“She became rather attached to Nick after he saved her from a decommissioned well on my family’s farm,” Judy added, causing Nick to look away.  
  
“I see. What has spurned the sudden urge to adopt her?” Rachel asked.  
  
“When Cotton fell down the well, it sparked a CPS investigation into my family’s farm; there are ummm…” Judy paused for a second. “Issues that need to be addressed, and my mother is afraid that Cotton could be removed from home.”  
  
“I think I understand,” Rachel said. “And your parents cannot adopt her?”  
  
“My mother and father are in their mid-40s,” Judy explained.  
  
“Is there more than one foster kit on your farm?” Rachel asked.  
  
“Not that I know of,” Judy said. “Why?”  
  
“Well typically rabbits are adopted in pairs to keep them from getting too lonely and having health complications,” Rachel explained. “But with the influx of rabbits into the system I'm sure we can find another.”  
  
Judy and Nick looked at each other before looking back at Rachel. “So we would need to adopt two?” Judy asked.  
  
“By law yes. But with it being a family adoption, and given her age, CPS might choose to waive that requirement,” Rachel explained as she started to pull up forms on her computer. “Now you both are and will remain police officers?”  
  
“Yes,” Judy and Nick answered together.  
  
“Good,” Rachel said. “That makes covering employment easier…”  
  
“I also took over Mom’s side of her and Daisy’s business,” Nick explained. “I work for that a few hours a week.”  
  
“Good, the additional income will be good to show the court that you two can easily support a growing family here in the city,” Rachel said. “Now, with you both being in law enforcement I take it you’re armed, correct?”  
  
“We are, Judy with a taser and me with a pistol and taser,” Nick explained.  
  
“I see. Are your weapons stored at home or at work at the end of the day?” Rachel asked.  
  
“Home,” Judy answered. “We have a combination safe to store them in.”  
  
Rachel nodded. “Good, CPS will want to see it when they conduct the home study. You’re going to need at least 3 references as well as income and health statements, though just proof of city employment will be enough to cover that the former.You can get health statements from your primary care physicians,” she explained as the printer behind her started printing out forms.  
  
“Now, do you have any questions for me?” Rachel asked.  
  
“Is us being an inter…” Judy started.  
  
“Mrs. Wilde, having a domestic partner that is not of the same species as yourself is not grounds for not allowing you to adopt,” Rachel cut her off. “The only criteria that would keep you from being able to adopt is financial, safety, and health.”  
  
Judy nodded then looked up at Nick. “Nick has a rare health condition….” She started as she explained Nick’s primal condition.  
  
“Does it affect his employment at the ZPD?” Rachel asked.  
  
“No,” Nick answered.  
  
“If it's not liable to get him terminated, then it shouldn’t affect his ability to parent,” Rachel answered. “But you should get it well documented from his doctor.”  
  
“He can get very protective,” Judy said.  
  
Rachel leaned forward, her hooves clasped in front of her on her desk with a smile. “Good. Some of these kids could use a protective and attentive father figure in their lives.”  
  
Judy looked up at Nick as he relaxed a bit more and reached over to squeeze his paw. Nick looked down at her and smiled.  
  
“Now, if there is nothing else, I have a stack of forms for you to fill out before our next meeting in, say a week?” Rachel asked as she turned around in her chair, gathering up a stack of papers from the printer.  
  
“A week works; we’ll need to clear it with our boss,” Nick said.  
  
“But it shouldn't be a problem,” Judy added.  
  
“Now, I have one more question before I let you go,” Rachel said. “Can I get a picture with you? My son has been a big fan since you both did a presentation at Meadowbrook Elementary last summer and he's never going to believe who I had in my office today.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“That went surprisingly well,” Judy said cheerfully as they got into the cruiser.  
  
“Much better than I expected, Fluff,” Nick said as he slid his sunglasses back on to protect his eyes from the late afternoon sun.  
  
“Were you afraid they would tell you no outright?” Judy asked as she buckled her seat belt and started the car.  
  
Nick shrugged as he buckled his seat belt. “I’m a fox; I'm kinda used to it,” he answered.  
  
Judy’s ears slumped a bit at his words. “It's nice, though,” he admitted. “She didn’t treat me like I was about to make off with her valuables or laugh us right out of her office.”  
  
Judy glanced over at him as she navigated their way back toward downtown. “Nick, that's…”  
  
Nick shrugged and looked down at the thick folder of paperwork they needed to fill out. “And I thought the paperwork to join the ZPD was bad,” he quipped. “I bet the amount needed to buy a house is less than what's required to adopt.”  
  
“We are talking about a life here Nick; they just want to make sure she'll be safe and well taken care of with us,” Judy said.  
  
“I know,” Nick said, his ears splayed out to the side.  
  
“I also know you’re just making light of it all because you're still nervous,” Judy said.  
  
Nick closed his eyes and leaned his head against the passenger side window. “It's just nerve-wracking is all,” he said quietly, his tail puffed out against the seat.  
  
“We will make it through this, together,” Judy reassured him.  
  
“I know we will Fluff. It's just…” Nick cut off as his cell phone rang and he reached into his inner jacket pocket.  
  
“Who is it?” Judy asked as he looked on the screen of his phone.  
  
“It's the DA’s office,” Nick replied just before he pressed the answer button. “Hello,” he greeted the person at the other end.  
  
“Yeah?” Judy listened to his side of the conversation. “Ok, we should be there in another 20 or so minutes.” He said just before he hung up the phone.  
  
“Who was it?” Judy asked.  
  
“That was Miss Thacho,” Nick said in a poor imitation of Amanda's prim and proper English. “Mr. Fisher just got out of chambers with Judge Fraser and has requested that we get back to the office immediately.”  
  
“From the sounds of it we have our CI file unsealed,” Judy said as she maneuvered the cruiser. “Who do you think Danel was attached to?  
  
Nick shrugged. “There are very few wolves assigned to this case.”  
  
“Yeah, but it doesn't necessarily need to be one assigned to the case,” Judy said.  
  
“No, but not being assigned does make gaining access a lot harder.” Nick supplied.  
  
“I think it’s Cor,” Judy said.  
  
“Why is that?” Nick asked as he looked over at her.  
  
“Because Cor was arrested…” Judy started.  
  
“It's not Cor,” Nick said cutting her off.  
  
“How can you be so sure?” Judy asked.  
  
“Because Cor knew exactly what it was we were working on, and he was trying to stop it and crimes like it just as much as we were. Maybe even more so,” Nick said. “Besides, he has even more to lose by going to jail than most.”  
  
“Then who do you think it is?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick shrugged and looked out the window. “I think I remember Masterson down in the armory has a brother. He even mentioned having to loan him some money a time or two.”  
  
“I guess we shall both find out shortly,” Judy said as she pulled their cruiser into the employee parking lot for city hall.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Amanda looked up as Nick and Judy pushed their way through the outer office door and made their way over to the security door. “Mr. and Mrs. Wilde, how delightful to see you again. Did your appointment go well?” she asked.  
  
Judy glanced up at Nick who answered in a rather posh sounding accent. “Splendid.”  
  
“Nick!” she hissed at him before smacking him in the arm with her fist.  
  
Nick rubbed his arm as she badged them into the door. “Aww, I love you too, Carrots.”  
  
Judy shot him a glare as she grabbed ahold of his tie and dragged him through the door. “Come on loverfox, let's not keep Mr. Fisher waiting.”  
  
Nick shrugged at Amanda as he was forcibly dragged through the door. “Why must you try to antagonize those around you?” Judy asked him as the door closed.  
  
“There is something up with her,” Nick said. “She seems a little too interested in where we go…”  
  
“Oh get off it Nick, she's just trying to be nice,” Judy said to him grumpily.  
  
“Yeah, maybe, but she seemed a bit too interested in where we went yesterday and then again this afternoon,” Nick said pulling his tie out of her grasp so he could straighten up.  
  
“Maybe she's just trying to keep tabs on us in case Mr. Fisher asked where we went,” Judy said.  
  
Nick glanced back over his shoulder at the security door. “I dunno Fluff. I have this feeling she's palmed a card or two.”  
  
Judy looked up at him. “What makes you think that?”  
  
“Call it a gut feeling,” Nick said, as his stomach choose that moment to rumble in hunger.  
  
“I think you are just hungry.” Judy chuckled at him as they approached Mr. Fisher's door.  
  
“I’m being serious here, Judy. Something isn’t sitting quite right about her,” Nick said.  
  
Judy paused just before knocking on Mr. Fisher’s door and looked up at his face. She could see the worry and concern written in his eyes. “Would it make you feel better if we quietly looked into her?” She asked.  
  
Nick nodded. “I think quietly is the only way we are going to find anything about her anyway.”  
  
Judy nodded, “But first let's find out who Danel Moonson really is, ok?” she asked just before knocking on the door.  
  
“Enter,” came the call before Judy’s knuckles even touched wood.  
  
Judy’s paw moved from knocking to opening the door as she looked up at Nick, who just shrugged.  
  
“Ahhh, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde!” Mr. Fisher greeted them. “I hope Miss Thacho didn’t interrupt your meeting with your attorney.”  
  
“No, we were on our way back when she called,” Nick said as he closed the door and Judy sat down in one of the chairs.  
  
  
“Good, good.” Mr. Fisher picked up a file off of his desk. “It took a while to convince Judge Fraser to unseal this file without going through the officer in question to get it done.”  
  
“We understand sir, but the need…” Judy started.  
  
“I have of course gone on and unlocked the electronic copy of the file in question for you, but figured you would want a physical copy as well,” he explained as he handed the physical file over to Judy. “Given the fact that things have been altered before.”  
  
Nick watched Judy’s nose twitch as she opened the file, her eyes tracking quickly over the words on the first page before going wide.  
  
“Well Fluff, don't keep me hanging; who is his handler?” Nick asked.  
  
“His handler was his brother,” Mr. Fisher said.  
  
“Delgato Wolfson,” Judy said quietly.


	11. Episode 11: The Green Mile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks really does need to go out to lilwashu76. Who while sick still managed to crank out the editing on this chapter. Thank you, thank you so much.

# Episode 11: The Green Mile

“Oh, dear brother, just don't hate me  
For never standing by you or being by your side  
Dear sister, please don't blame me  
I only did what I thought was truly right  
It's a long and lonely road  
When you know you walk alone”  
I Remember Everything ~ Five Finger Death Punch

Jack sat quietly at the window, the late afternoon sun falling against his face and lightening the dull grey void of his vision. _This is what I have been reduced to_ , he thought to himself. _I'm not a rabbit now; I am nothing more than a flower worth a few million_.  His ears perked up at the sound of voices. At least this high up the sun shines on this window for most of the afternoon.

Jack could almost picture the apartment in his mind. Polished granite flooring from the entryway to the floor to ceiling windows. The main living room had seating to host at least a dozen small to medium sized mammals. A dining area with a long cherry wood table inset with glass. The maker had called it a “living edge” and had charged him an exorbitant fee, but the feel and smell of the wood was one of the few things that still gave him joy. To the left of the dining area was an open area kitchen with appliances that would have made even the most well-to-do chef feel jealous and right at home at the same time. Farther back from the kitchen area were two doors that opened into guest suites; one was currently occupied by his mother and the other was currently open. To the right of the living area and through the doorway there was his bedroom. The room was massive, and it needed to be to hold the massive four poster bed in the center. The room had floor to ceiling windows that made the occupants feel as if the world were at their feet. The bed itself was draped in the finest of fabrics; everything throughout the apartment was edged or, in many cases plated, in solid gold. His bedroom very distantly smelled of cherries. Skye loved the smell and taste of cherries.

Jack took a sudden sharp breath at the stabbing pain in his chest that just thinking of the white and russet vixen caused him. _Therapist says it’s because I formed a bond with her_ , he thought ruefully as the warmth from the window decreased with the setting sun. It will pass, he thought to himself. _I'm supposed to somehow keep my brain occupied_. He gripped the arms of the chair tighter. _How?_ he asked himself, _All I have is my thoughts._

“And this is Jack, both my greatest pride and my greatest shame,” Jack heard his mother say to an unknown person. “Jack, this is Kani Coello; she has graciously taken the position of your caretaker.”

“Hello Miss Coello,” Jack greeted without really turning his face from the window.

“Hello Mr. Savage,” a kind gentle voice greeted him.

“Now, Jack has a pair of therapists that come in three days a week,” Jack heard his mother start to explain. “One is a physical therapist that tries to get him to walk on his prosthetic leg, and another that is helping him deal with his….. attachment issues.”

Jack snorted. _What good does it do me to walk when I can't even see?_

“I understand Ma’am; keeping his schedule should be no problem,” Kani said.

“I hope not dear, with the amount that we’re paying you,” Jack's mother said. “Speaking of which, I’ll throw in a bit extra if you can lower yourself to maybe give a bit of manual stimulation.” His mother sounded disgusted. “Serendipity knows it might also help him get over his infernal fascination with that creature.”  

“Mother!” Jack hissed. “Don’t worry Miss Coello, that will not be required of you.”

“Well then, you can’t say I didn’t try to take care of your needs,” Jack heard his mother say. In his mind, he could see her turn up her nose at him as if he was a rotting turnip.

“Now, Jack spends most of his time here at the windows brooding so you should be able to attend to your studies with little interruption,” Jack heard his mother continue as if the exchange never took place. “What is it you said you were studying for again?” his mother asked as they left the room and left Jack to his own thoughts once again.

 _I wish Judy Hopps had never came into my life._ He frowned. _Why couldn’t I have let her go?_ Jack sighed and his head drooped toward his chest. _I had everything and now, now I have nothing,_ he thought to himself as the last rays of daylight warmed his face. _Why didn’t Nick kill me?_

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
Nick’s head made a loud thump as it hit his desk. “Carrots, we need to call it a night We’ve been at this for hours!” He groaned. “And I’m hungry and….” His mouth came open as his lips curled back, revealing rows of sharp teeth in a massive yawn.  

“Nick, we’ve only been here….” Judy glanced at the time on her computer. _Holy blueberry biscuits, is it really 9_? she asked herself. Her eyes went back to the spreadsheet in front of her and the print out. _There’s a pattern here, I know it…_ she thought to herself.

Nick’s jaws made a snapping sound as they shut once again, drawing Judy’s attention away from her computer. Her eyes ran over his face, noting the splayed positioning of his ears as his eyes drooped closed. He looks wrung out, She thought to herself. Between working on the case and going to see the attorney about Cotton…

“And the numbers are starting to blur together….” Nick finished his thought after a moment or two delay.

Judy closed her eyes and forced her paws to move to the keystrokes to lock her work station. “Ok Slick,” she said kindly. “Come on let's go home.”

Nick cracked his eyes and looked at Judy. “You mean it?” He asked.

“You’re right, we can stay here all night, but we might not get anywhere,” Judy said as she stood up. “We need food and rest, and from the looks of you it's way past my fox’s bed time.”

Nick smiled as he stood and stretched out his back. His computer's screen saver had long since locked the workstation so he turned around and grabbed his coat off of the back of his chair.  Judy watched as she slipped it on. If she looked closely she could see the telltale bulges under his arms signifying that he was armed, but otherwise he looked like a fox in a well tailored suit.

Judy held her paw out for him and smiled when his larger paw closed around hers and their fingers entwined together. His tail draped around her hips as they walked out of their office and down the hall. She looked to their paws and smiled.

Such large paws, she thought to herself. I have no doubt that they could be turned toward a mammal in anger. Her eyes drifted up toward his face. But never toward me.

Judy watched as he leaned against the back wall of the elevator. “You ok, Slick?”

“Just tired, Fluff,” Nick answered. “It's been quite the day.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy watched as Nick draped his jacket over one of the dining room chairs. His white dress shirt’s top buttons were undone and his tied hung untied around his neck. His shoulder holsters remained under his arms.  She climbed up on one of the bar stools as he unbuttoned and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

“Does the lady of the den have a preference this evening?” Nick asked as he started to wash his paws.

“Whatever is easiest on you,” Judy said as she opened the folder of forms from the attorney. “I know you’re tired.”

“So are you,” Nick said as he opened the freezer and pulled out a packet of pierogies and tossed it onto the counter before opening the fridge and pulling out an onion. “Looks like we didn’t pick up anymore tofu.”

“We’ll need to add it to the list,” Judy commented as she glanced up at him, pausing her reading of the forms. “Nick, your birthday is February 29th, 1984 right?” she asked.

“Carrots, did you go and memorize my tax forms?” Nick asked as he turned back to the counter.

Judy looked up once more from the forms in front of her and smiled. “Maybe I did, I had to know all I could about the shifty low life I was hustling to help me.”

Nick grinned as he started to peel and chop the onion. “Yes it is, and yes that means technically you’re robbing the cradle Fluff, as I would only be 8 if fox culture only observed my actual calendar year birthday.”

Judy just shook her head as she went back to filling out forms.

“You really must be tired Fluff,” Nick said as he dumped the chopped onion into his trying pan and turned on the burner. “Normally you would have thrown something at me or tried to smack me for that comment.”

Judy shrugged, “I figured you’re making me dinner, so the two balance out,” she quipped back at him.

Nick smiled as he picked up the packet of pierogies. The air became thick with the smell of frying onion and he took a moment to look over at Judy. He smiled as she wrote in information on the forms with her carrot pen.

“I’m sorry by the way,” Judy said, not even looking up at him. “I know you wanted to go to Lorrie’s tonight.”

“It’s ok; we needed to start looking into Delgato.” Nick said as he opened the packet and dumped the pierogies into the skillet.

“Do you think he is the leak?” Judy asked. The only sound heard for a few moments was the frying of onions and pierogies. Judy looked up at Nick, his ears splayed slightly and his shoulders slumped. “Nick?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he answered and looked over at her. “There are some inconsistencies in his finances that remind me of something.”  

“Like what?” Judy asked.

“Just small deposits in the grand scheme of things.” Nick shrugged. “Fifty dollars here, thirty there, like someone borrowing money because they were short that month.”

“And that throws a red flag to you?” Judy asked putting the pen down.

“It's not the money that throws the red flag,” Nick explained. “It’s the bank routing number where it originates from.”

Judy nodded and looked down at the forms in front of her. “What about the routing number?”

Nick shrugged. “It reminds me of something…”

“What does it remind you of?” Judy asked. Nick's sharp intake of breath at her question caused her ears to stand up. “Nick, are you ok?” She looked over him carefully; his ears were pinned back against his skull and his tail hung low, the tip of it flinching slightly.

“The Bigs,” Nick answered quietly.

Judy looked confused for a moment. “You’re saying the Bigs are giving money to Wolfson?”

Nick shook his head. “The bank routing number is the same, or at least I think it is, but the account number is different,” Nick explained.

“So Flannigan is trickling money to Wolfson through another bank?” Judy asked.

“Or Wolfson has a hidden account from which he's sending money over to his primary account to pay for things,” Nick said.

Judy blinked as she put pieces together and Nick got down a pair of plates. “Is that why you wanted to come home?”

Nick nodded. “We need to be careful who we trust Fluff. I think we might want to look into Mr. Fisher as well, as quietly as we can.”

“Do you honestly think he's involved?” Judy asked.

Nick shrugged as she divided out the pierogies. “Not really, but remember we need to be thorough.”

Judy looked down at the paperwork in front of her.“There’s a phone number thats odd as well.”

“How odd?” Nick asked.

“Well, Delgato makes calls to it at odd hours like 3 am,” Judy said as she filled in more information. “They are at times 20 or 30 minutes long.”

“Maybe we should call it tomorrow and see who picks up?” Nick asked.  

“Yeah; we should also make an appointment for us to see Dr. Treeroot,” Judy said. “I need to go into the hospital tomorrow and get some lab work done, and we need to ask him to fill out medical information for both of us.”

Nick placed her plate in front of her before turning and getting forks out of the drawer for the two of them. “Here Fluff,’ he said, handing her a fork.

“Thanks,” she said as she closed the folder and set it aside and started to eat. “Mmmmm, thanks for cooking tonight Nick.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iris stood in the open doorway of her bedroom, listening to the sounds of the quiet house. She could just make out the faint sound of Mr. Woolverton's snoring and the faint pattering of rain on the rooftop. She looked down the dim hallway lite by nightlights casting faint pools of dull yellow light on the long green expanse of carpet that stretched from the end of the hall all the way to the dining room entryway.  

She closed her eyes and breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth as she grounded herself. _Rain and Mr. Woolverton_ , she thought to herself as she identified the sounds she could hear. _Wind_ , she added.

She opened her eyes and looked back down the hall as she took the first tentative step out into it. The carpet felt warm and plush under her feet as she turned left to go deeper into the house. She placed her left paw flat against the wall as one step slowly became two, and two became three. Her steps were slow and deliberate, as if one misstep would bring down a host of horrors onto her.

She swallowed nervously. “Wind, rain, Mr Woolverton,” she repeated to herself as her nose twitched. She avoided the place where she knew that the wood of the floor creaked by moving tighter against the wall. Her eyes followed the carpet that seemed to stretch for miles before ending at the base of the far wall under a circular window.  

Iris paused as she came to an open doorway and glanced around the corner. Bathroom. She closed her eyes and scampered quietly across the open area of the door. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest as she looked around the hallway once again. Ten more steps and I'm at Mr. and Mrs. Woolverton’s door, she thought as she willed her feet to slowly move once again. Wind, rain, Mr. Woolverton, she identified once again, her ears upright and rotating slowly, almost straining to hear any new sound.

The sudden loud hacking cough caused Iris to dash across the hall and dive under the long skinny table just outside Mr. and Mrs. Woolverton’s door. She cowered under it, her back pressed tightly into the corner that the floor and baseboard of the wall made. The friction of her slide across the carpet left the skin of her chest under her pajamas and fur feeling hot. Her eyes darted up and down the hall as her heart hammered inside of her chest. The coughing died down just as quickly as it started. It's just Toby, she tried to tell herself. He's sick…

Images flashed in front of her eyes; knives and fangs, her face being pressed…

Iris shook her head, clearing away the unwanted memories. He's not here, I'm safe. He's not here, I’m safe, she repeated to herself. She closed her eyes and concentrated once again on her breathing. In through her nose and out through her mouth. Rain, wind, Mr. Woolverton, She slowly identified the sounds of the house once again.

Iris closed her eyes and waited as her heart rate slowly returned to normal. After a few moments she slowly opened them and forced herself to sit up, her back pressed tightly against the wall. Her paws pressed into the plush green fibers of the carpet as she looked to her right at the far wall at the end of the hallway. Her nose twitched and her paws trembled. Sooooo far, she lamented to herself.

“Nick lives in Zootopia, many miles from here. If he can come that far, I think you can walk a short little hallway,” she heard Hipp’s kind voice reminding her. She clenched her paws into fists, both to stop the trembling and to give herself strength. She looked back up the seemingly miles of grass green carpet between her and her goal.

Across the hall the coughing started again and her eyes darted across the hall. Toby, rain, wind, Mr. Woolverton, she reminded herself. This time the coughing didn’t seem nearly as loud nor as scary as before.

Swallowing hard, she forced herself to move out from under the table and to stand shakily on her hind feet. Turning, she forced herself to take one step, her heart hammering inside her chest as she reached the end of the table.

One step more and I'm the farthest I have ever been. She eyed the back wall as if it would move and get farther away from her. Taking a deep breath, she forced her left foot forward and took the step. Toby, rain, wind, Mr. Woolverton.

She kept her eyes on the back wall of the hall. Each step she took got her nearer to her goal. Her heart hammered in her chest, her back legs shook with equal parts fear and exhaustion. Iris reached out with her right paw and steadied herself as she forced her legs to move. Her eyes widened as she looked up at the window at the end of the hall.

The predawn light that streamed in through the window seemed to her like the finish line of a marathon as she placed her paws onto the wall just below it. To her right was a closed door; she struggled to remember whose room it was but couldn't remember. To her left was a blank wall. She pressed her back to the wall under the window and slowly slid down the wall to sit. Her legs ached and her heart hammered, but she had a smile on her face. “I made it,” she whispered to the hall as she looked down its length and the seemingly miles of green carpeting to the dining room.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy looked up as Nick let out a frustrated groan. “I’m taking it you've run into a wall?” she asked.

“Yeah, the account that we suspect that Wolfson has his money in is in the Cays,” Nick explained.

“Great, so it’s hidden away illegally in a tax haven!” Judy exclaimed.

“Now Fluff, just because a mammal has an account in the Cays doesn't make it illegal.” Nick said calmly. “They just have to report their income to the IRS and pay their taxes on it.”

“Do you really think Wolfson is paying taxes on what he's hiding away?” Judy asked, looking across their desks at him.

Nick sighed. “More than likely not, but I bet he's hiding money not just from us.”

“We could ask his wife where he says the money comes from,” Judy suggested. “But that would let him know we are looking into him.”

Nick sighed. “We could always ask nicely and see if the bank will play ball. If we tell them that the account owner is being investigated for kit trafficking, they just might play ball with us.”

“You don’t sound too hopeful,” Judy commented. “Do you think they’ll give us the information?”

“More than likely, as no bank wants it to be known that they helped harbor a kit trafficker; but I don't think it will give us evidence that points directly at Wolfson,” Nick said as he leaned back in his chair.

“Why not?” Judy asked “Wouldn’t he have had to set up the account?”

“Yes and no,” Nick said. “The Cays don't have to play by our rules, and corporations set up offshore accounts all the time.”

Judy nodded as she thought about it. “So if he was smart enough to hide the money offshore….”

“Then more than likely he has a few layers of protection between us and him. I think the easier and more than likely way of catching Wolfson is finding out who he’s calling at 3 am?”    
Judy nodded. “We can track the cell phone easily enough, but we’ll need to get a court order from Mr. Fisher.”

“Why not track both phones?” Nick asked as he looked thoughtful for a moment. “I think it's also time we spoke to Cor.”

“We need to know who has been accessing our files,” Judy said.

Nick nodded, “More importantly, we need to know who’s been modifying them.”

“Sounds like we have a plan then,” Judy said as she pulled up Mr. Fisher’s schedule on her computer. “Looks like Mr. Fisher is in court all day today so maybe we should go see Cor first?”

“Sounds like a plan Fluff. We can even see Clawhauser since we’re going to be inside the precinct building,” Nick said as he stood up and locked his computer.

Judy smiled as she locked her work station and stood up, stretching out her back. “Do you think he would write us a reference for our adoption?”

“After he squeals so loudly in excitement he cracks at least half the windows in the building?” Nick asked as he watched her and smiled at the enticing curve of her back. “Sure,” he answered his own question.

Nick walked with Judy side by side down the hall to the security door and reception area, his tail draping around her thighs.

“Who else do you think would write us a recommendation?” Judy asked.

“Wolford and Fangmeyer might,” Nick suggested.

Judy thought about it for a moment as they neared the door. “Even if we put Delgato behind bars Fangmeyer would probably still write us a good recommendation.” she said as they came through the door.

“She is that professional,” Nick commented.

“Recommendations? Are you looking for a new job?” Amanda asked as she looked down at them from her place at the receptionist desk.

“No, personal business.” Judy said as if that explained everything.

“Hey, could you tell Mr. Fisher that we need to speak to him about a warrant later this afternoon?” Nick deflected.

“Warrant?” Amanda asked. “Are you two that close to an arrest already?”

“Not quite,” Judy said as they walked out the outer office door.

“Wait, where….” Judy looked up at Nick as the shutting door closed, cutting off the rest of Amanda’s sentence.  “I’m starting to see what you mean.”

“I know, just who starts asking questions about a conversation that they overhear?” Nick asked.

“I still think she's just trying to be nice,” Judy said.

“Maybe…” Nick said, not sounding convinced.

“Maybe we should look into her?” Judy suggested.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy sighed at the familiar clatter of the Precinct 1 lobby. Phones being answered, suspects being escorted to and from the interrogation rooms or booking. The clacking of keyboards as reports were being typed up. It all brought up a feeling of nostalgia to her.  Her nose twitched as she reflected not just the good fortune, but also the trouble that they’d been at the center of since she and her husband had become police officers.

“Oh, my, goodness!” exclaimed Clawhauser from his place at the lobby desk. “Look what the wind blew in.”

“Hey Spots, how's the doughnuts?” Nick asked as they walked up.

“Sweet as ever! Haven’t seen you two around in a while,” Clawhauser said as he looked down at them. “The Chief has been quiet about what you two have been up to and the duty database only says special assignment.”

Judy looked up at Nick before she looked back at Clawhauser. “I don’t think we’re at liberty to say what we’re doing, Clawhauser.”

“Yeah, sorry Spots,” Nick said with a shrug.

“We do have something we need to ask you though,” Judy deflected as she watched Clawhauser deflate just a bit. “You remember the picture I showed you of Nick and our niece at the train station?”

“Oh, don't I ever!” Clawhauser cheered up. “That was just the cu… I mean most adorable thing I have seen in a long time.”

“Well, we need a letter of recommendation so Nick and I can adopt her” Judy said as Nick started to move his paws over his ears but was too late. The high pitched squeal that the large tubby cheetah emitted was loud enough to cause all the work in the lobby to pause momentarily.

“Oh my goodness! You two will be great parents, I just know it,” Clawhauser squealed, clapping his paws excitedly. “You can already see how much Nick cares for her just in that picture! So of course I'll write you a recommendation!”

“Thank you Ben,” Judy said as Clawhauser his ears fell and he started to look sad.

“Oh that poor bunny,” Clawhauser all but whispered. “Judy if something happened to your family, why are you even here? Why, that poor bunny is all alone without family…”

“Nothing has happened to Judy’s family Spots; they are, at least of last night, all perfectly fine and healthy,” Nick said as he tried to cut off Clawhauser’s waterworks.

“Yes, Cotton is a foster kit,” Judy started to explain. “Long story short, she was my sister’s kit and my parents never got around to adopting her,” Judy started as she explained the chain of events that had led to them deciding to push to adopt Cotton.

Clawhauser listened and smiled at the end. “And they say I'm a big softie,” he said, looking at Nick. “It takes a lot of love and care to take in someone else's kit.” Clawhauser looked thoughtful for a moment. “I wonder if the Maternity and Paternity leave rules applies to adoptions….” He made a humming sound that made his massive jowls shake. “Might have to talk to the Chief about that I think.”

“Ummm, I’m not sure that will be necessary,” Judy said. “I mean, she's four not a newborn…”  

“Doesn’t matter, I think it should apply; besides, it will give you time to vet daycares and get her situated,”  Clawhauser said just before his eyes went wide. “Oh my goodness, Nick's two bedroom apartment is perfect .” He paused for a moment. “I mean, I’m assuming you two share a bed, not that you necessarily need to or that your sleeping arrangements are any of my business, but if you’re not then you'll need a bigger place.” The last was said quickly and Nick smirked.

“Well I’m not her father yet,”  Nick said. “But honestly, it’s more about her having a safe place to live than anything else,” he added in a rare bit of heartfelt honesty.

“So you’ll write us an recommendation?” Judy asked.

“Of course I will,” Clawhauser confirmed. “When do you need it by?”

“Our next appointment with our Attorney is next Wednesday, so Monday or Tuesday at the latest,” Judy said. “It’ll need to be signed, so just let us know and we can easily come and pick it up.”

“Ok, I’ll send you guys a text when it's ready then,” Clawhauser said.

“Thanks Spots,” Nick said with a genuine smile on his face. “Come on Carrots, we need to go downstairs. It was nice talking with you again Ben.”

“Well that's one recommendation down,” Judy said as they walked to the elevators.

“How many do we need?” Nick asked as he pressed the call button on the elevators.

“The checklist she gave me said at least two, but I don't think they’ll turn any away, and the more we have the better we look” Judy said as the elevator doors opened in front of them.

Nick took a deep breath and let it out slowly as they got into the elevators.

“What's wrong Slick?” Judy asked as she pressed the button for the basement.

“It just kinda hit me, I’m going to be a father…” Nick said softly.

“Well, as long as the state agrees…” Judy said.

“Do you know who Cotton'sCotton’s dad is?” Nick asked.

Judy shook her head. “Jill didn’t put it on the birth certificate and we didn’t do a lot of digging.”

Nick nodded and relaxed a bit. “So he's out of the picture then.”

“He was never in the picture, so yeah,” Judy answered. “Why?”

“Just, if she has other family…” Nick said.

“We are her family too,” Judy said adamantly. “I changed her diapers, fed her, cuddled her at night, took care of her when she was sick. You saved her life, and played with her, and how many other members of my family do you MuzzleTime with?”

Nick smiled down at her. “Ok Fluff, message received.”

“And then there’s Robin,” Judy continued as the doors opened. “Somehow I doubt fox’s give gifts like that on a whim.”

“No, no we do not,” Nick confirmed. “But she's special.”

“Then why her?” Judy asked as she stepped out into the hallway. “What made Cotton that special?” Judy stopped in her tracks and looked up at him. “And don't even think of trying that excuse of ‘she smells like me.’”

Nick looked at her and huffed before he answered. “Because she got to me, ok? Other than you she was the first rabbit in your family home to fully trust me.” Nick looked her in the eyes. “I love her, she's sweet and fearless just like you. She believes strongly in things and reminds me that I am loved.”

Judy’s expression softened as she looked up at him. “And she loves you; no one cannot look at the picture of you two on the railway platform and not see that.”  She turned and started to walk down the hall once again. She smiled when Nick's tail wrapped back around her hips, reminding her that she was just as important to the fox. “I love her too.”

“I love you,” Nick said softly.

“I love you too, Slick. Come on, we have work to do,” Judy said as she pushed through the doors of the Technological Investigation Unit. The weasel’s skull with monitors in the eye sockets and crossed keyboards underneath with the words “Abandon all hope all ye who enter here” sign still got a chuckle from Nick.

Judy looked around Cor’s office. It hasn’t changed much in the past several months, she noted. Maybe a few more computers stacked against the wall. She shook her head at the hard drives and other bits and pieces of computers that lay strewn about.

She turned her attention to the wolf in question. His eye color couldn't be told from the opaque white contact lenses. His business suit was well pressed and well tailored. “So detectives Wilde, congratulations by the way. How may the dwellers of the dungeon help you today?” she heard him ask  

“We are looking into who has been changing case files in the system” Nick started to explain.

“While we were suspended on medical leave, someone went and changed our case notes. We still have our written copies, but the digital notes and case logs have been changed on the Leaperson Case, the Cuppaw Case, and my original report of what happened at the Natural History Museum,” Judy continued finding it hard to meet Cor’s disconcerting gaze.

“How were the files modified?” Cor asked as he started typing on his keyboard.

“In most cases, any note of a higher ranking mammal in charge of the operation has been removed. In the case of what happened at the natural history museum, any mention of Martin Flannigan has been removed, and it made it out to be Jack Savage who poisoned me with Night Howler,” Nick explained. “Even the security footage of the night has mysteriously been corrupted.”

“I need the case file numbers please,” Cor said.

Judy flipped open her note book and rattled off three strings of alphanumeric case file numbers.

“The last one is what happened at the natural history museum, I take it?” Cor asked.

“Yes it is” Judy answered.

Cor’s paws flew over his keyboard once again. “It says here that it was modified by Judy Hopps on September 29th, 2017 at 12:03pm”

Nick and Judy glanced at each other shocked. “That's not possible Cor.”

“Well that’s what the file says, when it was last modified and by whom,” Cor said.

“No, you don't understand; we were literally saying our vows at that time, so there is no way I could have modified that file,” Judy explained.

“Well then….” Cor said as he started to type away at his keyboard. “That puts a damper on things.”

“That's putting it lightly,” Nick commented. “Is there any other way of seeing who changed the file?”

“Luckily for us I had the guys in IT turn on auditing when I first started here, so let's see what the logs say,” Cor said as he pulled up some files. “Now isn't this interesting….” Cor turned his monitor around for them to see three files full of alpha numeric numbers.

“What are we looking at?” Judy asked.

“This is the file change log,” Cor explained moving his mouse pointer over the first file. “It says here…” He highlighted a line that contained Judy’s name. “That you changed the file and when.”

“That really doesn’t help us a lot,” Nick said.

“Oh but it does. You see, while it shows that your wife changed the file, it also gives us a time stamp to start looking through the other logs,” Cor explained. “This is the login log. It contains every login and logout of all the city systems. No mammal can change this log, only search it, and low and behold Judy did not log on that day. Matter of fact, Judy's next logon event won't happen until after the new year.”

“So it proves that I didn’t edit the file?” Judy asked.

“It proves that it would have been very hard for you to do so with your alibi,” Cor corrected.

“So how do we find out who edited it?” Nick asked.

“Well, see this other string of numbers here?” Cor asked, highlighting a set beside Judy’s name in the file log. “That is the IP address of the machine used to edit the file. It's not nearly as important as this other set of alpha numerics though,” Cor explained, highlighting yet another longer string as Nick and Judy nodded. “That is the computer's mac address. It’s special and damn hard to spoof; unlike an IP address, that address is unique to each and every individual network interface card on the planet.”

“So we find the computer that was used to edit the file and we’ll find who did it,” Judy said.

“Considering you have to have special access to even get into these files to begin with, you can bet that the machine used is on our network, and as such is signed out to an individual,” Cor explained as he turned his monitor back around and started typing once again.

Nick looked down at Judy. “I bet we already know who did it.”

“And done,” Cor said as he turned the monitor back around for them to see once again. “You can see here that the mac addresses match and that the machine is signed out to Delgato Wolfson.” Cor pulled back up the login log once again. “And you can see that he logged in at 8:02 that morning and logged out at 2:15 that afternoon.” Cor pulled up a final log. “You can see here that he’s been using the USB ports on the computers, even though those are supposed to be disabled other than one each for a keyboard and mouse.”

“Does Delgato strike you as the kind of mammal that would have the skill needed to pull this off?” Judy asked.

“Not really Fluff; he’s always seemed more like the kind to ask questions with his fists,” Nick said.

“Hypothetically…” Cor started and paused when their attention turned back to him. “He could have been supplied with a small program to do it for him. Something that would easily fit onto, say, a small USB drive.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Standing in one of the many vehicle buildings of the farm, Bonnie looked at the large concrete slab with twisted metal hooking points set inside of it. “You're sure this will do the trick Sam?” she asked.

“It's made to code and beyond; we used left over quarter inch rebar to strengthen the concrete instead of the a 1/8” like the code calls for,” Sam explained. “But it’s gonna need a few more days to cure even with the heat lamps on it, so we need to make sure it sets well before we attempt to move it.”

“How heavy is it?” Bonnie asked.

“Just over 200 pounds,” Sam said. “Safety code calls for it to be nearly six inches thick.” She paused and looked over at her mother. “’Ya know we can always fill in the wells, right?”

Bonnie nodded. “We would have just as much if not more problems getting trucks of dirt and stone in here to fill them in though.” She sighed. “Do whatever you need to; go get these ready to move. It's not supposed to rain for a few more days, but after that it's going to be pouring until after the social worker comes.”

“We will…” Samantha started when she was cut off by the ringing of Bonnie's cell phone.

Bonnie pulled her smart phone out of her pants pocket and looked at it. “It's a Podunk number…” she said before answering it. “Hopps Family Farm, how can I help you?”

“Uhhh yes, may I speak to Bonnie or Stewart Hopps please?” the voice on the other end asked.

“This is Bonnie speaking.” Bonnie identified herself.

“Good afternoon Mrs. Hopps, my name is Julia Swifttail and I work out of the Podunk Social Services office. I have been in touch this week; I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time,” Julia Swifttail said.

“Oh, not at all, how can I help you this afternoon?” Bonnie said more cheerfully than she felt.

“Well, I’m going to have to be in BunnyBurrow tomorrow morning for a court hearing and I need do our visit tomorrow afternoon,” Julia said. “I’ve had a death in my family and my supervisor wants me to at least get the preliminary report on Cotton's case done before I head for the funeral.”   

“I’m sorry to hear about the death in your family, Ms. Swifttail. But we’re not really for the full inspection. I was assured that we would have time to fix…” Bonnie started to explain.

“Oh don’t worry about the wells Mrs. Hopps. If BunnyBurrow is anything like Podunk we’ve been saturated with rain, making things hard on the agricultural communities. No, this is more a health and wellness check for Cotton,” Julia explained. “We can do the full inspection in a few weeks time.”

“Oh…. then in that case, what time should we expect you and do you need a ride from the station?” Bonnie asked.

“No, I’ll have my own car, thank you though,” Julia said. “I'll be there say, just after lunch?”

“Just after lunch sounds good,” Bonnie said.

“Ok Mrs. Hopps, I’m sure you have your paws full. I will see you tomorrow,” Julia said.

“Bye,” Bonnie said as she hung up the phone and looked over at Sam. “That was the social worker, a Ms. Julia Swifttail; she’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Mom! There is no way we can have these ready….” Sam started.

“She's coming to make sure that Cotton is ok and is giving us a few more weeks to get the wells sorted out. She’s had a death in the family and I'm sure this is just to get her supervisor off her back so she can have some time off,” Bonnie explained. “I get the feeling she’s throwing us an olive branch, so we shouldn’t waste it.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Good afternoon Mrs. Woolverton, how is Iris doing today?” Hipp asked rather cheerfully as the door opened.

“She’s….” Mrs. Woolverton sighed and her shoulders sagged. “Having a day.”

“Oh, is something wrong?” Hipp as as she stepped into the house making sure to wipe off her muddy feet.

“Well, the day started with us finding her at the end of the hall happy as could be that she made it there,” Mrs. Woolverton explained. “Then Greg got the paper and we all sat down for breakfast.”

Hipp frowned. “Did she walk to breakfast?”

“Yes she did; squirmed right out of my arms as soon as we made it near her room,” Mrs. Woolverton explained. “It's not her walking or even her late night excursions that’s the problem. She saw the paper this morning and the headline was about Matthew Cuppaw getting killed in prison.”

“How did she take that?” Hipp asked and hoped for the best.

“She stared for a bit, then asked if he was going to be made into stew for the other predators,” Mrs. Woolverton said. “We had to have a talk this morning about what happens to a mammal’s body after they pass away.”

Hipp sighed. “Yes, I imagine she was under the impression that they were served to other mammals due to her experiences.”

Mrs Woolverton gave Hipp a wan smile. “Yes she was; I imagine you two have a lot to talk about today.”

“Is she in her room?” Hipp asked.

“Yes, she’s been reading since after lunch.”

“Ok; I think I can find my way now,” Hipp said.

“Oh, before I forget, we have a social worker coming in the morning to do a health and wellness check on Iris. We’ve been doing our monthly reports, but is there anything you need to add?” Mrs. Woolverton asked.

“Not at this time; do I need to be here for the check?” Hipp asked.

“Might not be a bad idea, since she might have questions for you,” Mrs Woolverton answered. “She will be here between 10 and 11.”

Hipp pulled out her phone and looked at her calendar for in the morning. “Looks like that shouldn't be an issue, and then Iris and I can still have our session after lunch.”

“You sure you can find your way?” Mrs. Woolverton asked.

“Sure can!” Hipp said cheerily as she walked down the hall toward Iris’s room. She stood outside the bedroom door for a moment observing the young rabbit. Iris had a blanket bunched up in front of her like a fortified wall. The book meant for a larger mammal was open in front of her.

The snow white bunny’s ears were resting down her back as she laid on her stomach behind her fortification. Her feet kicked up behind her as her piercing blue eyes remained glued to the page.  Her light pink nose twitched ever so slightly with the turn of the page.

“Haven’t you finished that book yet?” Hipp asked as she stepped into the room.

“Twice,” Iris answered without looking up. “I just now read my favorite parts.”

“What part are you reading now?” Hipp asked as she sat down in front of Iris’s blanket wall.

“The part where Robin Hood sneaks into the castle and saves everyone and takes back their gold,” Iris said just before she closed her book and looked up at Hipp.

“You could have kept reading,” Hipp said.

“Mrs. Woolverton said it's rude to keep reading when someone talks to you, even though she’ll sometimes keep looking at her phone,” Iris said matter of factly.

“Mrs. Woolverton has said you’ve had quite the day; made it all the way to the end of the hall and walking to and from the dining room,” Hipp said.

“The hall was scary,” Iris said.

“Why?” Hipp asked. “There’s no one here that wants to hurt you.”

“Toby is sick and Mr. Woolverton snores,” Iris said.

“So the sound bothers you?” Hipp asked softly.

Iris nodded. “It was always quiet in the dark….” She sat up and criss-crossed her legs and looked at the space between them. “If there was noise it was bad.”

“So you hear sounds at night and it makes you think of being in the cage?” Hipp asked.

Iris closed her eyes and nodded. “I know no one here wants to hurt me but…”

“It’s hard to just let it go when you’ve lived in fear for so long,.” Hipp said softly.

Iris nodded and tentatively looked up into Hipp’s eyes. “What were you afraid of?” she asked softly.

Hipp sat quietly for a moment, meeting the kit’s fearful blue eyes, and her mind flashed over a dozen answers that she really couldn’t say. “What I fear right now is you not telling me what you’re afraid of so I can’t help you.” She paused for a moment. “I know what's happened to you is horrible, but you can’t bottle it up and hope it goes away.”

“It doesn't just go away?” Iris asked.

“No, it takes work.” Hipp paused for a moment. “Maybe even harder work than making it down the hall, but at the end you’ll be better.”

“I will?”

“It just takes a little bit of courage and trust,” Hipp said.

“I’m scared...” Iris said quietly.

“Know what courage is?” Hipp asked.

“What?”

“Courage is doing what you need to do even though you’re scared,” Hipp explained. “Some fear is ok. It’s what keeps us alive or from doing the wrong thing . But bottling up your fear is not ok, and neither is letting it control you.”

I…I can be brave,” Iris said quietly.

“Then all you need to do is trust me,” Hipps said, bending forward so she she could look into Iris’s eyes levelly. “He’s gone, and he can never ever hurt you again. The memories hurt, but the nice thing about them is the more you tell someone else the easier it becomes to carry those memories.”

“Ok,” Iris said as she looked down to the space between them. A silence hung between them as Hipp patiently waited for Iris to gather her thoughts. “Sometimes I still feel his breath on me.” The words started shakily at first, then slowly turned into a deluge. “I remember what he would do to me, what he made me watch.” Iris closed her eyes. “I can still feel his teeth on my neck. His voice in my ears telling me I am next.” She sniffed, barely holding back her tears. “Mrs. Woolverton told me I shouldn’t be happy he died, but I am….”  Her tears fell as she started to sob.

Hipp gathered Iris up into her lap and held the small bunny tightly as she sobbed. Iris’s body shook hard with each sob and her paws gripped Hipp’s shirt tightly as if afraid the comfort would disappear. Hipp softly stroked Iris's ears, letting her cry it out.

“I don't wanna be afraid anymore,” Iris softly whispered after her sobs died down.

“You don't have to be,” Hipp told her quietly.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You sure this is a good idea?” Judy asked as they walked toward Chief Bogo’s door.

“Not really, no, but it beats asking Spots or the mammals down in Mammal Resources these questions and have it get back to our suspect” Nick answered.

Judy nodded at his reasoning before she knocked on the chief’s door.

“ENTER!” came the bellowed reply from the other side of the door.

Nick reached up and grabbed the door handle to open the door, letting Judy walk in first.

“Good afternoon, Chief Bogo,”  Judy greated cheerfully as she climbed up into the large chair before his desk.

“Wildes,” Bogo acknowledged them as Nick shut the office door. The way Bogo said their last name made it sound as if it was being dragged over rough gravel.

“Hey Chief, how did it work out with the barista?” Nick asked as he climbed up into the chair and sat comfortably beside Judy.. “Take my advice?”

Bogo snorted at the question. “None of your business; so what do you need?”

“Straight to business, that's what I like about you Chief!” Nick exclaimed as Judy rolled her eyes.

“We just have some questions about who was on leave and when” Judy asked.

“You could have easily taken those questions up with Mammal Resources,” Bogo stated flatly.

“Yes, but that would have required us to spend the time to investigate all the mammals down there, and we do have the DA breathing down our necks to get results fast,” Nick lamented.

“I see; fine, ask;” Bogo said blunty.

“Was Detective Fangmeyer on leave on or around the 23rd of December?” Judy asked.

Bogo picked up his eyeglasses before he typed on his keyboard. “Yes, she was on leave from the 22nd to the 1st of January.”  He watched as Judy made note of it in her notebook.

“What about Detective Wolfson?” Nick asked. “Has he been on any leave lately?”

“Yes, he took the 25th of December off for holiday leave and the 1st of January to attend some family function.” Bogo answered. “I take it these two are suspects?”

“One is,” Judy admitted. “One last question Chief, what about either of them this summer?”

Bogo frowned and typed on his keyboard. “Wolfson took the 5th of August due to a family emergency that he had to deal with.”

Judy noted it in her notebook. “Thanks Chief!” she said as she started to slide out of the chair. “Come on Slick, we need to go talk to the DA.”

“I take it you found our leak?” Bogo asked.

Judy paused on their way to the door and looked up at Nick, who nodded at her. “We’re not at liberty to say yet, Chief. First we need to see if the DA feels the evidence we have is sufficient enough for a warrant.”

Bogo snorted at the tactful reply. “Just be sure,” he ground out. “Don’t go around throwing half baked accusations.”

“We won't Chief,” Judy said as she opened his office door.

“Oh, hey Chief, just one more thing; we were told you wanted to talk to us a few days ago when we were out of the office,” Nick said. “What did you need?”

Bogo looked confused. “I didn’t call the DA’s office looking for you.”

“But…” Judy started before she was interrupted.

“Don’t worry about it Chief. I'm sure it was just a miscommunication somewhere along the line. We’ll get it sorted out,” Nick said as he glanced down at Judy.

Bogo eyed them suspiciously. “Well then, unless you needed anything else?”

“No, have a good afternoon Chief,” Judy said as she walked out the door. She let out a sigh of relief as Nick shut the door behind them.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hipp looked down at the tuckered out bunny. Iris opened up to me, she thought proudly. We walked down the hall twice and made it halfway back to her room once.

She smiled as she turned to enter the large dining room. While not nearly as large as the one in the her family’s warren, it was large for an above ground structure. The Woolverton home was a hodgepodge of additions made over the years, as the property had been in Greg Woolverton’s family for generations. Unlike the Hopps, most of their family had moved on to either pursue their dreams or start families of their own.

“How did she do today?” Meadow Woolverton asked as Hipp entered the living room.

“She did really well. I feel she made big progress today,” Hipp answered. “I feel for her though, the things that Cuppaw subjected her to.” Hipp shook her head sadly. “We did try the hall a pawful of times, and she made it to just this side of the table outside of your door.”

“Have you spoken to your brother-in-law about meeting her?” Mrs. Woolverton asked.

“Not yet,” Hipp admitted. “But I will tonight. She’s making faster progress than I thought she would.”

“Yes, in some ways she mirrors your younger sister in that regard,” Mrs Woolverton smiled. “I remember the trouble young Judy and Sharla would get into.”

“Yes, Judy was a pawful, and still is if Mom is anything to go by,” Hipp said.

“Do you have an idea how long Iris was….” Hipp could see Mrs. Woolverton struggle to ask her question.

“She doesn’t know,” Hipp admitted. “She knows other rabbits and a few other species entered the basement.” Hipp shrugged. “Time passed differently for her; she could have been down there days, weeks, or even years.”

“Poor dear,” Mrs Woolverton said, looking extremely sad. “I guess we’ll never know with that monster gone.”

“It’s probably for the best,” Hipp said. “She needs to heal and not dwell on the time that she’s lost. But it’s going to be hard for her for a while. In a lot of ways she's like a vet coming home from war.”

“I see…” Mrs. Woolverton said softly.

“She has her triggers; loud noises really set her off. I guess he had a thing about her being absolutely quiet. But she’s slowly learning to cope,” Hipp said, “She’s asleep right now; she’s had a hard afternoon.”  

“I’ll make sure she gets woken up for dinner,” Mrs. Woolverton said kindly. “You’ll be here at around 10 tomorrow then?”

“I will,” Hipp confirmed as she stood at the front door. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“No dear. I’ll see you in the morning then.”

“See you then,” Hipp said as she went out the door and walked toward her aging Zoobaru. She pulled her cellphone out of her back pocket and started to scroll through her contacts list. _Do I even have Nick's number?_ she asked herself. _No I don’t, she confirmed a moment later. But I have Judy’s…_

She sighed as she opened the car door. _I haven’t even spoken with her and her husband, and now I need a favor_ , she thought to herself. _A favor from a fox…_ She shook her head just before she collapsed forward and let her forehead thump against the steering wheel. That’s Dad speaking again. There is no way Judy would have brought a bad mammal into our family.”

She shuddered as she heard Iris’s words in her head from that afternoon. “He… he….. He use to make me put my head in his mouth…” She shook her head. _Such a brave little bunny_ , she thought to herself. _She just wants to meet the mammal that saved her from that hell_.

She took a deep breath as she opened up a chat conversation with Judy and started to type.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde,” Amanda greeted them from the receptionist's desk almost as soon as they came into the door.

Nick observed the fisher from behind his aviator sunglasses. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly in suspicion.

“Good evening, Amanda,” Judy greeted, sounding as if she was about to ask something, but got cut off.

“Evening?” she asked, sounding confused. “Is it really that late?”

“Yes it is. Is Mr. Fisher in?” Judy asked, sounding a tad bit annoyed.

“Indeed he is; should I call ahead and let him know your on your way?” Amanda asked.

“No, we’re heading straight for his office,” Nick said as he badged into the security door and held it open for Judy.

Judy walked through the door with Nick following close behind her. With the sound of the door thumping shut behind them she glanced up at him. “I’m starting to see what you mean about being weary of her. Why do you think she lied about Bogo calling us?” she asked.

“I don’t know, Fluff. I get the feelingthat there’s more to her than just her friendly demeanor, though,” Nick said as he took his sunglasses off and put them in his inner jacket pocket. “We either need to start looking into her or just be cautious around her.”

“Right now I think we should just err on the side of caution,” Judy said after a moment as her phone chimed with a new message. They paused as she fished the device out of her pocket and looked at it.

“Who is it from?” Nick asked.

“One of my older sisters…” Judy said as she read the long message.

“Why don't you call her back and I’ll go talk to Mr. Fisher about getting our warrant for Wolfson?” Nick suggested.

“You sure you can handle that on your own?” Judy asked.

“Hey, I’m not a Jr. Detective anymore, so I think I can get us a warrant” Nick said shooting her a wink.

“Then go forth Detective Wilde and get us our warrant!” Judy said as she waved her paw down the hall toward Mr. Fisher’s office. “I shall deal with my sister.”

“Tell her I said hi,” Nick said as he walked down the hall.

“You don't even know which one it is,” Judy called after him.

Nick turned, walking backwards, and shrugged his shoulders. “It's not like you have 175 of them…”

“Yeah, yeah, get our warrant,” she called as she stepped into their office. She looked back down at her phone and pressed the call button on the message she received.

“Hello?” came the tentative voice from the other end of the call.

“Hey, it’s Judy,” Judy said cheerfully. “I’m sorry but I didn’t read all of your message, so what did Nick do?”

“Oh, hey, it’s Hipp. Umm, he didn’t do anything bad; he did a good thing really,” Hipp said.

“Ok, so what did he do?” Judy asked.

“Well, remember Matthew…” Hipp started.

“Cuppaw, yes, I umm, remember that case all too well,” Judy said nervously.

“Well, Nick saved a bunny from that guy’s basement….” Hipp said.

“Oh yes, the buck!” Judy said excitedly. “You’re working with him? How is he doing?”

“Well, he is really a she, and she is doing…” Hipp struggled for a moment. “Honestly she's doing better than could be expected from a kit that’s had her experiences.”

“That’s really great to hear. I’m sure you’re making a huge difference in her life,” Judy said confidently.

“Well listen, she has a thing for your…husband,” Hipp barely stopped herself from saying fox. “And I made a deal with her, and she's far exceeding expectations, and I know I should have talk to you guys first, but…”

“Hipp, slow down, what do you mean by a thing?” Judy said defensively.

“He saved her, and she really wants to meet him,” Hipp said. “I’m more than certain it's just hero worship and she just wants to thank him.”

“Ok, that doesn't sound too bad,” Judy said honestly. “So what kind of deal did you make with her?”

“I promised her if she made it all the way down her foster parents’ hallway and back to her room and to the dining room and back that I would arrange for her to meet Nick,” Hipp explained. “And she’s like, 75% there Judy, the goal has really made a difference and I'm sorry but…”

“She’s in Bunnyburrow, right?” Judy asked.

“Yeah, she's with the Woolvertons….” Hipp said as Judy thought about it for a moment.

“I’m sure Nick would be more than willing to meet her,” Judy said. “He’s in a meeting at the moment, but I think we might be able to come out for the weekend.”

“Really?” Hipp said, sounding relieved.

“Yeah, well, I'm sure it won't take much to convince him to come out and see Cotton,” Judy said.

“I don’t know; that’s a long trip Carrots,” Nick said from where he leaned against the door frame.

“Oh hush you,” Judy said looking at him. “You know you want to see Cotton. Did you get our warrant?”  
“Yep, Mr. Fisher is heading down to see Judge Skyclaw to sign off on it now. We should have it in an hour or so,” Nick said.

“Huh, sounds like you guys are still working; text me if you can come or not,” Hipp said over the phone.

“Oh it should be no problem. We’ll work out the details and let you know when,” Judy said.

“Ok, thank you!” Hipp said and quickly added. “Stay safe!” before she hung up.  
Judy looked at her phone and shook her head before setting it down on her desk. “So," she said as she turned to Nick with a half-smile. "Feel up to going to Bunnyburrow this weekend?”


	12. Episode 12: The Fox, The Wolf, and the Bunny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be honest. This is a kind of a special chapter, while I didn't start posting Savage Days until after Mothers Day 2018 this marks when I originally started the initial preproduction of Episode 1. I had actually written about 75% of the original Season 1 Episode 1 about a week before I saw the movie. It looked a bit more like Season 2 Episode 1 than it did what I posted. It took me another 2 weeks or so before I had all of what is now Season 1 outlined out and then started to work on that first Episode.....
> 
> I have gained a lot of experience since then, but more importantly, I have gain friends and people that believe in me enough to keep pushing me to do better. To keep putting words down, but most importantly I have also gained followers those that every 2 weeks give me 30 minutes to an hour of their time to read my humble work.
> 
> Thank you  
> Lord Kraus

# Episode 12: The Fox, The Wolf, and the Bunny

  
  
“A company always on the run  
A destiny, oh it's the rising sun  
I was born, a shotgun in my hands  
Behind the gun  
I'll make my final stand, yeah  
That's why they call me  
Bad company”  
Bad Company ~ Five Finger Death Punch  
  
“Really?” Nick asked, his eyes looking brighter than they had all day. “This weekend?”  
  
“Yep,” Judy said with a smirk. “So how about it? Go to Bunnyburrow, see Cotton, and meet with the little bunny you saved from the basement of a mad mammal?”  
  
“Meet with the bunny…” Nick said confused. “I was following you all that way up to that part.”  
  
“Well, it seems that your two bunny fan club is now up to three bunnies,” Judy said after she filled him in on Iris. She watched Nick; the silence that hung in the air as he sat down at this desk, while comfortable, was also a bit concerning. She studied his face as he sat down in his chair; the look of thoughtfulness on his face helped put her mind at ease somewhat.  
  
“You ok, Slick?” Judy asked after a few moments.  
  
“Yeah, it’s just, wow, never thought meeting me would ever be used as a reward for someone meeting a goal,” Nick said without a bit of his trademark smugness.  
  
“So you’ll meet with her?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick nodded. “Of course, who am I to dash some young rabbit’s wish of meeting me?” Judy smiled at him as the look of smug satisfaction returned to her fox’s face.  
  
“How did it go with Mr. Fisher?” Judy asked as they looked across their desks at each other.  
  
“Pretty good, helped him draw up a list of charges from everything including aiding in kit trafficking and drug smuggling all the way to corruption charges,” Nick said. “The hope is that we throw enough charges at him that he turns against whoever had helped in the ZPD.”  
  
“You think he has accomplices?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick shrugged. “Mr. Fisher seems to believe that there are and his reasoning is sound, even if they’re not in Precinct 1.”  
  
“What do you think?” Judy asked.  
  
Nick looked down at the desktop in thought. “I think this is going to be a shit storm of epic proportions,” Nick said after a few quiet moments. “After this breaks, every case that Delgato has worked on since he became an officer will be suspect. Mammals that may very well be guilty will more than likely walk out of prison free to re-offend.”  
  
Judy nodded and looked down at her desk. “Do you think we’re doing the right thing?” she asked quietly.  
  
“What does your righteous sense of right or wrong tell you, Fluff?” Nick asked seriously.

  
Judy looked up into his eyes after she thought about it for a few moments. “We should take Delgato out before he compromises something important like nailing Martin.”  
  
“Despite the costs?” Nick asked.  
  
Judy nodded. “If we let Delgato stay and nail him later, then he’ll just cause someone else to walk, or maybe cause even more suffering than he already has.” Nick smiled at the conviction in her voice.  
  
“Ok Fluff, I'm sold.”  
  
A knock at their office door caused them both to turn to their heads and look. Mr. Fisher stood in the doorway with a folded piece of paper in his paws. The look on his face was both haggard and exhausted, but he bore a smile on his face regardless that still somehow reached his eyes.  
  
“Good news! Judge Skyclaw heard our case against Delgato Wolfson and has signed the warrant for his arrest,” Mr. Fisher said. “Furthermore, he signed a court order to allow you to track, and if need be tap, both of those cell phone numbers for the next 24 hours.”  
  
Nick and Judy looked at each other. “That is good news,” Judy said.  
  
“I want Delgato in a cell tonight, and if the person at the other end of those calls is involved, they can be sitting right beside him as well,” Mr. Fisher said sternly.  
  
“Are you sure it has to be tonight?” Nick asked. “The easiest and safest way to deal with this is just to have Bogo call him into his office tomorrow,” he suggested.  
  
“Nick’s, right,” Judy said. “Delgato is armed…”  
  
“No, it needs to be tonight. We need to send a message that corruption in this city will not be tolerated. Not from our highest office and definitely not from those we entrust to protect us.” The passion and zeal in the otter’s voice caused Nick and Judy to glance at each other. “I want him behind bars before the sun rises!”  
  
Judy sighed and nodded. “We’ll get him…”  
  
“Got your chest plate back at the precinct Fluff?” Nick asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.  
  
“You think it's needed?” Judy asked as Mr. Fisher looked between them.  
  
“Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” Nick looked thoughtful for a moment. “We should also talk with Chief Bogo.”  
  
“Yeah, we might need back up,” Judy agreed. “And giving him a professional heads up is in our best interest.”  
  
“I don't care what you two need to do, just get this done,” Mr. Fisher said. “We need to restore the public’s faith in the ZPD, and to show them that our officers are not above the law is a good step in the right direction.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Judy navigated their cruiser through the darkened streets of the city. The evening traffic had slowly cleared out as they neared the suburbs of Savannah Central. The highrises of downtown gradually gave way to the urban sprawl of residential neighborhoods and the industrial complexes that built the things that the city needed to thrive.  
  
“This looks like a nice neighborhood,” Judy remarked as they drove through the darkened streets, their cruiser followed closely by Wolford and his partner's cruiser.  
  
“Savannah Heights?” Nick asked. “Yeah, it's full of mostly middle and upper class. Good mammals here, almost a perfect mix of predators and prey.”  
  
“You really don't think Fangmeyer is involved?” Judy asked as she glanced at the dash clock. “Midnight.”  
  
“None of the evidence points to her,” Nick said. “We can dig into her finances, but I think all we’re going to find is her ex-husband.”  
  
“How do you know that Fangmeyer has an ex-husband?” Judy asked. “Wait a minute…Clawhauser.”  
  
“Yes and no,” Nick said. “Remember when I had to do my certification rides at the end of the Academy?”  
  
“Yeah,” Judy answered.  
  
“Turn right up here,” Nick said before he continued. “Well, she was one of the ones that I rode with.”  
  
“How did you get Fangmeyer to tell you anything?” Judy asked. “I was partnered with her for a month, and she barely grunted at me.”  
  
“What can I say Fluff, mammals just like me,” Nick said smugly.  
  
“How did you do it?” Judy asked again.  
  
“Traded her,” Nick said as he looked across the car at her. “Information she wanted to know for information she needed to talk about.”  
  
“And what information did she want?” Judy asked.  
  
“Why would I stop doing what I was doing and become a cop,” Nick answered. “It was a pretty legitimate question considering that most start in this career far earlier than I did.”  
  
“And what did she tell you?” Judy asked as she made the turn to the right.  
  
Nick was silent for a moment. “She had a court hearing that day, not for a case but for custody of her son,” Nick explained quietly. “Her husband got custody due to the long hours she worked as a patrol mammal. She gets every other weekend. She was upset but also understood it was what was best for their son.”  
  
“Oh…” Judy said.  
  
“We are looking for 6170. It should be on the right,” Nick explained.  
  
Judy slowed the car down as they neared the address. The neighborhood appeared to be reasonably well off, with well-manicured lawns and well-kept houses. Bicycles were left outside, speaking of a relatively safe environment. Most of the lights in the homes were turned out with a few night owls here and there.  
  
They stop in front of a darkened house with the front porch light on. Three bicycles were strewn about the front lawn with a black Catillac Escapade parked in the driveway.  
  
“This is going to suck.” Nick sighed as he looked at the house. “The last thing I wanted to do today is arresting him in front of his pups.”  
  
Judy nodded. “Would have been easier all the way around if Mr. Fisher would have let us wait until morning.”  
  
“Dollars to donuts says he announces his candidacy for mayor in the morning,” Nick said.  
  
“You think so?” Judy asked.  
  
“You heard him in our office; that sounded more like a mayoral announcement speech than when he was on TV,” Nick commented as he opened his car door.  
  
“You’re probably right,” Judy said as she got out of the driver side door. “I guess we do things a bit differently out in the burrows.”  
  
“How so?” Nick asked.  
  
“We don't grandstand so much. Someone wants to run for office, they fill out the paperwork and run,” Judy said with a shrug. “The gossip circles there run circles around the news cycle here, though.”  
  
“I would imagine so. Here it's all about having your name in the news longer and louder than everyone else,” Nick said. “I’m betting Fisher runs on a platform of office reform and accountability.”  
  
“How do you want to do this?” Wolford asked as he and his partner walked up to them.  
  
Nick looked over at Daniel Wolford, who was varying shades of grey with light steel blue eyes. He cut a fine form in uniform and had been on the force longer than both Nick and Judy combined, but was passed up for promotion due to some early discipline issues. Nick turned his attention briefly to Wolford’s partner. John McClain was an older brown wolf with varying shades of grey in his muzzle and cold brown eyes.  
  
“How do ya wanna to do this?” McClain asked, his voice sounding rough, like gravel poured over concrete. The look in his eyes held little sympathy and said he was getting too old for this shit.  
  
“Politely,” Judy answered as she started walking toward the house. “You two stay here. Nick you're with me; with any kind of luck we’ll only need you guys for transport.”  
  
Nick shrugged at the wolf officers as he followed his partner up the walk toward the door. “I don’t think he’s here Carrots,” he commented as they walked up the porch steps.  
  
“What makes you say that?” Judy asked as she rang the doorbell.  
  
“Because I think he drives an old Canary,” Nick said. “You know we could just use the stinger, right? We have a warrant to do so.”  
  
“Yeah, but if we can just bring him in without using it, I would rather do that and give the watch groups less ammo to use against us,” Judy said. “The last thing we need is more publicity about police overstepping their bounds.”  
  
“Light!” came the call from Wolford as an upstairs light came on just as Judy rang the doorbell one more time.  
  
Judy’s ears perked up as a moment later she could hear the deadbolt on the door being turned. “I swear this better be good, and if you woke up little James I swear…” a lovely yet feminine voice said on the other side of the door.  
  
Judy looked up into a pair of soft light brown eyes as the door opened. “Oh, um, it's you…” Mrs. Wolfson said in a deadpan. “So is he gone?”  
  
“Is who gone, Ma’am?” Judy asked as she watched Mrs. Wolfson dressed in flannel pajamas and a robe that she pulled tighter around her. Her eyes darted to each of the four officers in turn. Her light brown coat looked almost golden in the yellow light of the porch light.  
  
“Isn’t Chief Bogo supposed to do this?” Mrs. Wolfson asked.  
  
“Ma’am, I take it Delgato isn't at home?” Nick asked.  
  
“No, he told me he was working undercover tonight,” Mrs. Wolfson said. “But I know he’s really across town sleeping with her.” Her voice dripped with venom. “I had hoped a boyfriend, or maybe a husband had offed him. Would have saved me the trouble of filing for a divorce and putting our pups through that.”  
  
“You wouldn’t happen to know where we could find your husband?” Judy asked.  
  
“I know she lives somewhere near the college bordering Tundra Town. When you find his lying ass tell him not to bother coming home. I'm done,” Mrs. Wolfson said as she slammed the door in their face.  
  
Nick grabbed Judy’s paw as she was about the ring the doorbell again. “Let it go, Carrots,” he said as he guided her back toward the cruisers. “If she knew more I have a feeling she would have told us.”  
  
“She's been scorned…” Judy said.  
  
“Yeah, I think that's putting it lightly,” Nick said. “So we fire up the stinger. At least we know where to look.”  
  
Judy nodded. “Ok, let's mount back up and head for Zootopia University.” She looked up at the second-floor window just in time to see the light wink out. She closed her car door as Nick opened the terminal in the car.  
  
“I don't understand how a mammal can get so…” Judy started.  
  
“Jaded?” Nick asked. “From the look in her eyes, this has been going on for a while. A long while,” he stated as she started the car and put it in drive. The marked cruiser behind them followed as they navigated their way back toward the highway.  
  
“Nick,” Judy started a few minutes after they got onto the highway. “If you ever get so unhappy that you feel you have to cheat on me to be happy, just tell me, ok?”  
  
Nick sat stunned for a moment. “Judy, I would never do that to you,” he said softly. “I love you and respect you too much for that.”  
  
Judy’s ears perked up a bit at his use of her name, and she shot a glance across the car at him. His face was lit up from the monitor of the car’s terminal, his eyes on her and not the screen. “I love you too Nick, and you say that now…”  
  
“Nope, remember my vows?” Nick asked before he recited. “Riches or poverty, health or illness, through good times and bad until the end of my days, in this life and the next. So you're stuck with me sweetheart for at least two lifetimes.” He held up two fingers to illustrate the two.  
  
“But…” Judy started.  
  
“Nope, going to cut you off now. Two lifetimes renewable in the next. So you’re stuck with me for eternity,” Nick said. “So get that dark little thought out of your cute little bunny head and let's concentrate on getting the bad guy.” His eyes went soft, almost smoldering in the low light of the cruiser as he added. “Later I’ll show you just how much you mean to me.”  
  
Judy blushed and smiled at him, “Ok, Slick. I’ll hold you to that.”  
  
A far more comfortable silence fell over the pair as the car made its way down the highway and eventually turned off for the exit for the University.  
  
Judy watched out of the corner of her eye as Nick typed some commands into the terminal. She’d expected to hear an electronic whine as the stinger powered up and started acting as a cell tower. Much to her disappointment, the only noise in the car was the sound of the tires on the road and the purr of the engine.  
  
“Anything yet?” she asked after a moment.  
  
“Nope, keep going,” Nick answered. “We have connections, just not from the numbers we’re looking for.” He watched the screen as they drove down the street toward the main university campus.  
  
“You went to school here right?” Judy asked.  
  
“Eighteen months,” Nick confirmed. “I was going to finish my bachelors later, but…” He shrugged.  
  
“What happened?” Judy asked.  
  
“I had just been awarded my associates and was accused of selling test answers,” Nick answered before he pressed a key.  
  
“Did you?”  
  
Nick glanced over at her. “Oddly enough no. I held my 3.5 GPA but saw the writing on the wall. I was just lucky enough to not get expelled for being a fox.”  
  
Judy huffed. _The speciesism against him is still shocking,_ she thought to herself.  
  
“Did you enjoy college?” she asked as she stopped the car at a stoplight.  
  
“It was alright; to be honest, looking back on it, other than the mammals I met I found it a waste of time,” Nick answered as they waited.  
  
“Why’s that?” Judy asked.  
  
“Never did anything with it honestly,” Nick answered as he taped a key again. “Two blocks ahead and make a left.”  
  
“Getting anything?” Judy asked.  
  
“Not yet but the more affordable apartments are in that area,” Nick answered.  
  
“Own a few buildings around here?” Judy asked.  
  
“Me personally? I don't own anything. Cornaton-Wilde holdings?” Nick asked. “Five; most of the student's parents co-sign the leases, so we’re sure to get our rent. We try to keep the rent for students low though.”  
  
“Why?” Judy asked as she made the turn.  
  
Nick shrugged. “We could charge going rates, and we would get it too. But on the other paw, we try to think of the students here as mammals that have needs, not just money bags that can take out a loan.”  
  
“So what’s rent like here?” Judy asked.  
  
“From us or going rate?” Nick asked.  
  
“From you.”  
  
“$450 a month for a one bedroom studio apartment if you bring us a report card showing a 3.5 GPA or higher,” Nick answered. “Bingo, we got pings; let's look for Delgato’s car,” he said as a pair of blips showed up on the screen.  
  
“So what are we looking for?” Judy asked as she slowed the cruiser down.  
  
“Beige 1995 Toyota Canary, plate V9L VL2,” Nick read off the computer screen after typing in Delgato’s information. “Told you those things run forever.”  
  
“Well, maybe it’ll still be running after he gets out of prison,” Judy said.  
  
“Depending on if it's in his name or jointly with his wife, it might get auctioned off to pay for his costs,” Nick answered. “Not that it’s worth anything, or that she's going to stay with him.” He switched back over to the tracking screen. “We’re getting closer; the building should be on the left.”  
  
Judy looked to their left and saw a large apartment complex with a parking lot in front of it. The apartment building itself, while much nicer than the Grand Pangolin Arms, wasn’t nearly as nice as the building she and Nick lived in. She slowed the cruiser as they crept through the parking lot, looking for Delgato’s car.  
  
“Here it is,” Judy said as she stopped the cruiser and pointed out the driver side window. The car’s plate matched and most of the color of it was still beige even in the low light of the parking lot; it was easy to tell that the clear coat on the paint had long since given up its battle with time and had flaked off in many places.  
  
Placing their cruiser in park, blocking Delgato’s car in, she opened the door and looked at the apartment complex. She sighed. _Going door to door with all those rooms…_ she thought to herself.  
  
“So I guess we’re going to have to go door to door,” Judy said as Wolford and McClain walked up.  
  
“This is going to be a long night,” Nick said.  
  
“You younguns are always wanting to do things the hard way,” McClain said sourly.  
  
“What's that supposed to mean?” Judy asked.  
  
“Well, you have his phone number, don’t ya? Why not have Wolford call him and tell em that some kid hit his car?” McClain suggested.  
  
Nick and Judy looked at each other and Nick shrugged. “It's simple. I kinda like it; make him come to us,” he said.  
  
“It's better than having to go up and down all those stairs; I'm three weeks out from retirement, and I'm too old for that shit,” McClain said grumpily. “Let's just get the traitor back to the station and be done with the whole shitty mess.”  
  
Judy nodded, spun on her heel, and climbed back up into the cruiser. She picked up the cell tap warrant off of the center console. “Wolford!” she called out, “His number is 555-4296,” she read off the warrant before climbing back down out of the driver's seat.  
  
Nick had started to lean against the end of the car as he waited. Judy’s eyes roamed over him, dressed in his heavy tactical bulletproof vest over his white cotton button up shirt and black slacks. He had his drop holster for his sidearm strapped to his right thigh. _He seems oddly relaxed with_ _what’s_ _about to go down,_ she thought to herself.  
  
She fingered the side of her taser one last time as she walked back up to stand beside him.  
  
“Hey, Detective Delgato?” they heard Wolford speak into his phone.  
  
“Think that waffle place is open?” Judy asked.  
  
“Carrots, that place is always open,” Nick replied.  
  
“Sorry for bothering this time of night, but we thought you’d like to know that we found your car near Zootopia university,” They heard Wolford say into his phone. “Right, right. Well anyway, the reason for the call is some kids hit your car, and we need you to come down for the insurance exchange.”  
  
“How do you know that?” Judy asked.  
  
“Fluff, the Mammal Emergency Management Agency uses the Waffle Hut as an index on how bad a disaster is. If Waffle Hut is shut down, then they know mammals are knee deep in the scat,” Nick answered.  
  
“Nick, that's just an urban myth,” Judy said with a roll of her eyes.  
  
“Ok, so you'll be down in five minutes?” Wolford asked into the phone. “Thanks, Detective,” Wolford said as he hung up his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.  
  
“Nope, saw it for myself in ‘96 when the Canals District Flooded when the Tundra Town weather wall malfunctioned,” McClain said gravely. “MEMA dragged their paws about getting help down there until Waffle Hut announced the closure of all its locations in the District.”  
  
“Yeah, they’re open unless it's physically unsafe for their employees to be there. 24/7, 365 days a year,” Nick said. “But yeah, waffles and coffee sound good.”  
  
“He’ll be down in five minutes; claims he was visiting his cousin and fell asleep on the couch,” Wolford said as he walked back up to the three of them.  
  
“You sound unconvinced, Wolfy,” Nick said with a grin.  
  
“Yeah well, unless Wolfson’s from Alapawama, I don't think you take your pants off for sleeping on your cousin's couch,” Wolford said. “You could hear the jingling of his belt over the phone.”  
  
Nick snickered as Judy covered her face with her left paw and groaned.  
  
“Well, I don't think his wife would’ve been that upset if he was spending time with his cousin,” Nick commented. “Then again…”  
  
“Nick, no…” Judy told him as she lifted a fist threateningly.  
  
“Heads up, looks like our guy just left the building,” Wolford said as he kept watch. “How do you guys want to do this?”  
  
“We’ll make the arrest; you guys are here for transport and back up,” Judy said. “Take him back to Precinct One. He can yell for his union rep all he wants, but Chief Bogo fired him about 5 hours ago now.”  
  
Nick's grin had melted off of his face as his right paw came down to rest near the grip of his pistol. He could hear mostly angry cursing as the figure got closer.  
  
“Ok, so which one of you little fucks hit my…” Delgato Wolfson all but yelled as he neared the two parked cruisers behind his Canary.  
  
“Delgato Wolfson?” Judy yelled in her most commanding voice.  
  
“Yeah?” Delgato answered. “Is that you Hopps, or whatever you call yourself these days?”  
  
“Delgato we need you to stop right there and put your paws over your head and turn away from the sound of my voice,” Judy ordered, still keeping the cruiser mostly between her and Delgato, as Nick moved off to the right.  
  
“What's going on here?” Delgato called not lifting his paws. “Finally get tired of the fox? Or did he leave you like we all figured he would?”  
  
“Like I would get tired of her,” Nick commented. “No, you're under arrest put your paws up and turn around.”  
  
Delgato’s left paw twitched toward his belt. Nick drew his weapon lightning fast making his pistol seemingly appeared out of nowhere. “Paws up!” Nick and Judy both yelled seemingly simultaneously, “Right now!”  
  
“Heh, looks like you got some tee…” Delgato started as Judy stepped from behind the cruiser and fired her taser. The twin electrodes flew the short distance between her and the wolf, both thumping into his chest milliseconds before the tasers capacitors unloaded their charge into him.  
  
Delgato fell flat onto his back with thea sound that reminded Judy of a sack of potatoes being tossed onto her family's warehouse floor. His body jerked and spasmed with the jolt of electricity into his nervous system.  
  
Nick holstered his sidearm and walked toward Delgato. The only sound in the area was now coming from Judy’s taser. It made an ominous whine as the batteries recharged the capacitors for another jolt.  
  
“Delgato Wolfson,” Nick started as he rolled the wolf over onto his stomach and pulled out his paw cuffs. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney; if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. I would ask you if you understand your rights, but I doubt you even hear me at the moment, so we’ll have to do this again soon.”  
  
Nick cuffed Delgato’s paws behind his back and started patting him down, first starting near his belt and looking for any weapons. “Hey Fluff, we’re going to have to talk to him about where his gun is, since it’s not on his belt,” Nick called to her as he continued his search.  
  
“Ok,” she said, standing back and to the right as she watched Nick, her finger on the trigger of her taser ready to deliver another blast of electricity if need be.  
  
Nick pulled out a set of keys from Wolfson's front right pocket and gave them a once over glance before tossing them to the side. “Looks like car and house keys,” he informed Judy. Next, he pulled Delgato’s cell phone from his right rear pocket and tossed it with the keys. “Cell phone.” His paws flashed, grabbing the fabric of Delgato’s front left pocket, and then he grinned. “What have we here?” he asked as he fished the item out of Delgato’s pocket and held it up for inspection. “Bingo Carrots, one USB drive; we’ll need to get this to the TIU ASAP.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
“Good morning!” DA Luke Fisher said cheerily to the crowd of gathered reporters in front of City Hall.  
  
“Good morning,” the crowd of reporters respond.  
  
“Today marks an important day in our fair city’s fight against the infection of corruption that has infested the very cornerstone institutions that we rely so heavily on,” Mr. Fisher started, his voice solemn. “Early this morning, the valiant detectives of the Office of Special Investigations have made their first in what should be many arrests to cleanse the corruption from our police department.”  
  
“No longer shall our citizens wonder if the cops protecting them have been bought out!” Mr. Fisher said to the small crowd, his voice full of fiery conviction. “No longer shall we have to live in fear for our children's lives!” His small fist slammed onto the podium placed in front of the entrance for him. “Zootopia Chief of Police Adrien Bogo has assured me that his department will move forward in cleaning up our streets!”  
  
“It is on this platform this morning that I am proud to announce my candidacy for Mayor. I promise to continue the work of battling political corruption in our city. I promise that I will give the protectors of our city the very tools they need to do their work to the fullest extent of the law,” he said to them.  
  
“But not only will they have the tools available to them to do their jobs, they will also be held accountable for their actions,” he said gravely.  
  
“I will take no questions at this time, and Chief Bogo has assured me that the ZPD Public Relations department will have a press release out by the end of the day on former Detective Delgato Wolfson’s arrest,” Mr. Fisher said, drawing the small press conference to a close.  
  
“Thank you and have a wonderful day!” he said, once again cheerily, before he stepped down from the podium amidst a sea of quickly fired questions, all of which he ignored.  
  
Martin had the good sense to mute the TV before the political commentators started rambling about the otter's chances of winning. His grip tightened and caused the plastic to begin creaking ominously.  
  
“Who do we have to run against the otter?” Martin ground out between clenched teeth.  
  
“Our best bet so far seems to be Sarah Hogsworth,” Allen Monax, his woodchuck advisor, informed him.  
  
“I don’t know; I think she’s a wash. She’s the granddaughter of Swinton,” his rabbit advisor informed him. “I think trying to put another Swinton in power given the political climate of anti-discrimination…”  
  
“She’s the only one that said yes,” Allen informed them. “The rest of the council want nothing to do with that position given what has happened to the last three mayors that have sat on it.”  
  
“I think maybe we should pull our operations out of Zootopia and maybe look at other ports farther up the coast,” the rabbit said. “San Furcisco could make a great alternative,” she suggested.  
  
“But that will add an extra two days to the product pipeline and make it more likely that our shipments will be intercepted by the Coast Guard,” Allen said. “Time is money, and we’re moving a lot of product both in drugs and flesh through the Zootopia ports. We’ve spent a small fortune…” Allen rambled on before getting cut off.  
  
“Enough. What about our contacts inside the ZPD?” Martin demanded.  
  
Allen and the rabbit shot glances at each other. Then the female answered. “They’re drying up. Wolfson handled most of the funneling of both information and funds for us.”  
  
“His arrest this morning has placed the rest of the mammals on our payroll in the ZPD on high alert; some are even trying to leave the country,” Allen said.  
  
“Do we still have the resources in place to eliminate him?” Martin asked.  
  
“I believe so,” said the rabbit.  
  
“Do it,” Martin growled.  
  
“What about the Wildes?” Allen asked.  
  
Martin all but growled as his lips pulled back from his flat teeth and his hoof crushed the TV remote in it. “They shall be dealt with soon.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hipp sighed as she climbed out of her aging Zoobaru with her binder of notes on Iris’s progress. She looked at the newish Jeep parked alongside her car. It was a dark metallic grey, at least where it wasn't covered in mud, with large nubby tires. _With the various obviously nonstock parts that jeep is taken off road often,_ Hipp thought to herself. _Probably enjoying all the mud._  
  
She pressed the doorbell and waited as she looked back to the driveway for a moment.  
  
“Ahh, Hipp!” Mrs. Wolverton greeted her as the door open.  
  
“Sorry I’m a little bit late; Jackson was a little bit late in relieving me from the produce stand this morning,” Hipp explained.  
  
“It’s ok. Miss Swifttail is just changing; seems she doesn't want to get her court clothes muddy.” Mrs. Woolverton explained as they stepped into the living room. “We’re going to do this around the dining room table if you don't mind.”  
  
“No no, that’s fine,” Hipp said as they walked into the dining room.  
  
The dining room had two tables set up. One larger circular table for the larger sheep and a smaller one for the smaller kids. She looked up at one the larger chairs, and her ears drooped slightly. _How does Judy deal with this?_ she asked herself.  
  
“Oh yes, don't worry I’ll get both you and Miss Swifttail a cushion to sit on,” Mrs. Woolverton said as she went deeper into the house. Hipp put her binder up on the table as she waited.  
  
“Miss Hopps, I presume?” said a kind gentle voice behind her.  
  
Hipp wasn’t sure what she expected when she turned around. The long pointed muzzle and triangular ears of a fox were definitely not it though. She blinked once, as the small fox stood just a little taller than she did. She had a black muzzle and black on the tip of her tail. The rest of her fur was various shades of tan and grey, and she had light blue eyes. She wore a black t-shirt with a pink Jeep logo and a comfortable pair of faded blue jeans.  
  
“Yes, but please call me Hipp,” Hipp answered as her nose twitched. “You must be Miss Swifttail.”  
  
“Please, call me Julia,” Julia said. “I must say, I’ve read your reports on Iris and have found your approach interesting.”  
  
“She reminds me of my little sister,” Hipp said. “Very goal oriented; just needed to find a goal that she deemed worth the effort to achieve.”  
  
“So you are at least familiar with the detectives in question?” Julia asked.  
  
“You could say that; Judy is my sister,” Hipp explained.  
  
“So you’re a Hopps from the Hopps Family farm then?” Julia asked.  
  
“Yes, that's part of the reason I was late. My brother was late in taking over the produce stand this morning,” Hipp explained.  
  
“Excellent! I have a meeting with your mother after this; perhaps I can follow you out there?” Julia asked.  
  
“Sure,” Hipp answered.  
  
“Here you two go, this should elevate you enough to be comfortable,” Mrs. Woolverton said as she placed a pair of cushions down onto two of the chairs.  
  
“Yes, that should do wonderfully, thank you, Mrs. Woolverton,” Julia said as she climbed up onto a chair with her paw bag. “Now if you two don't mind, I very much so prefer to voice record these conversations; it makes it vastly easier for me to type up my notes later.”  
  
“I have no objections, what about you Hipp?” Mrs. Woolverton said as she sat down.  
  
“I have none,” Hipp said as she climbed up onto her chair.  
  
“Great!” Julia exclaimed as she pulled out a small voice recorder. “This meeting is being conducted by Julia Swifttail of the Triburrow Social Services office concerning un-Ided-rabbit-doe—08-19-2016, or otherwise henceforth referred to as ‘Iris’”. I am joined by, please state your name and what you do or relation to Iris please.”  
  
“Meadow Woolverton; I’m Iris’s foster mother,” Mrs. Woolverton said.  
  
“Hipp Hopps; I’m Iris’s occupational and behavioral therapist,” Hipp said.  
  
“This meeting is to discuss services and goals concerning getting Iris ready to be adopted,” Julia said.  
  
“Adopted?” Hipp asked surprised.  
  
“Yes, the days of having a child in the foster care system are behind us. We prefer to place children with family, but if no family is forthcoming we try our level best to place them with loving families. That is not meant to be any slight to you and your home Mrs. Woolverton,” Julia explained.  
  
“None taken,” Mrs. Woolverton said. “Greg and I knew they wouldn't be able to stay here forever. She’s such a sweet kit and deserves some happiness.”  
  
“It is regrettable that she was not part of the Leaperson kits, or the Borrowsons as they now prefer to be called,” Julia said. “Now with that being said, how is she mentally and physically?”  
  
“She isn't as active as most kits her age, but she is very curious. While her schooling has fallen by the wayside, she can read and is learning to write and do math amazingly well,” Mrs. Woolverton explained.  
  
“Mentally, I would say she has a form of PTSD. She refers to her time in Cuppaw’s basement as ‘the dark’. She has her triggers, such as coughs, Mr. Woolverton’s snoring, the wind, and there’s a board in the hall that squeaks when it’s stepped on. Almost any loud noise at this point, and there could be some that we may not have encountered yet,” Hipp explained. “I am working with her to get past these issues, but these things take time.”  
  
“And emotionally?” Julia asked.  
  
“Emotionally she takes time to trust, a long time. It took her weeks to be able to open up to me fully, and I understand it was the same for Mrs. Woolverton,” Hipp explained.  
  
“Yes, she was afraid if she got to close that we would just go away like everyone else,” Mrs. Woolverton said.  
  
“So relationships are important to Iris?” Julia asked as she also took notes in a notebook.  
  
“Extremely. She’s slow to form an attachment, but once she does, the mammals she attaches to become extremely important to her,” Hipp explained. “I believe we may have even made a small bit of progress, as she did show concern for Tobey being sick yesterday.”  
  
“How has she responded to new mammals?” Julia asked.  
  
Mrs. Woolverton shrugged. “We don't get many visitors here; you’re welcome to meet with her if you wish to.”  
  
“We’ll find out soon, as Nick has agreed to come to see her,” Hipps said.  
  
“Really?” Mrs. Woolverton asked.  
  
Hipp nodded. “Judy and Nick are coming this weekend.”  
  
“You don't think she would have a problem meeting a predator?” Julia asked.  
  
“I don't think she'll have problems meeting _him,_ ” Hipp classified. “Another predator? Maybe.” She shrugged.  
  
“Why is that?” Julia asked.  
  
“He's her hero. He got her out of the cage and carried her out of the basement. Symbolically that’s very powerful,” Hipp explained.  
  
“I am interested in knowing how that meeting goes,” Julia said. “Now, I know this was supposed to be a health and wellness check. I have no doubt in my mind that you two are doing a wonderful job of taking care of Iris, but at this point, I have to ask how you’d feel about her being adopted?”  
  
“I just want what's best for her, and if that’s a permanent home, then I'm ok with that,” Mrs. Woolverton said.  
  
“It would really depend on the family. Iris is going to be special needs. She may not ever be what is considered ‘normal,’ and that's ok; it's just that she's going to need help. Tutors and therapists at a minimum, with lots of love, care, and understanding,” Hipp said. “Honestly, I thought it was still way too early to worry about her even being eligible for adoption,” She added concernedly.  
  
“She typically wouldn’t be, but we were notified yesterday evening by Zootopia Social Services that a couple has started the process to adopt a bunny doe. With the added attention that the Leaperson case has caused, we want to get a road plan in place for Iris so that her needs are well met beyond her time in our care,” Julia said.  
  
“So she's going to get adopted?” Hipp asked.  
  
“At this time it’s uncertain; we only have a small pawful of bunnies around the same age in the system. We only know that a lawyer has, on behalf of the couple in question, filed an intent to adopt pending approval” Julia informed them. “They haven't completed their home study yet, so we are still, at a minimum, perhaps a month or more out.”  
  
“So she’ll stay with the Wolverton's until then?” Hipp asked.  
  
“Correct, but there are some additional steps in there. First, the prospective parents need to meet her and be informed of her additional needs, and then make sure they can meet those needs. Then before she can be placed with them, we typically do a 6-month placement to see if everything works out; after that they get a court date to finalize the adoption.” Julia answered. “All this is, of course, pending the successful completion of the home study.”  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Bonnie stood nervously at the front door to the warren. She looked down at her phone once again and the message from Hipp.  
  
Hipp: Mom, social worker is following me to farm. Will be there in 15 minutes.  
  
She wrung her paws nervously. _Just a health and wellness check,_ she reminded herself. She watched as Hipp’s aging Zoobaru approached, the engine sounding like an angry weed wacker as it zipped its way up the muddy access road where so many trucks and tractors had gotten stuck;a mud-splattered jeep followed close behind. Not that Hipp’s Zoobaru hadn’t faired that much better; however, the mud somehow made the rust and different colored doors far less noticeable.  
  
_This summer we are_ _definitely_ _paving that road,_ she thought to herself. It would be much easier to maintain a paved road, as the trucks tended to push the gravel deeper into the mud.  
  
Bonnie wasn't sure what she’d expected as the door of the wolf-sized jeep swung open; it surely wasn't the small grey and tan fox that hopped down the mechanical steps that turned from the undercarriage of the jeep. The little fox seemed at ease in the mud and looked around the countryside with a small whimsical smile on her face.  
  
“Miss Swifttail I presume?” Bonnie asked as she walked up.  
  
“Please Mrs. Hopps, call me Julia,” Julia greeted the Hopps family matriarch. “We have a lot to discuss, but first I have to ask, is Cotton home or does she attend preschool in town?”  
  
“She’s home; would you like to meet with her?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“I would love to; that is a large part of this visit after all,” Julia said warmly.  
  
Bonnie led Julia into the warren. “You’ll have to excuse the mess, but with a little over 275 rabbits living here…” she said.  
  
Julia looked around and smirked. “Mrs. Hopps, if you think this is a mess then I would hate to see what you’d consider a disaster. It has always fascinated me how lagomorph families cooperate.”  
  
“It takes a lot of organization,” Bonnie said as they went to the bottom floor of main living room area. “If you’ll wait here I'll go get her.”  
  
Julia nodded and took a seat on the couch in front of the fireplace. Her ears perked up as she heard some hushed whispering.  
  
“Is she a fox?” asked the first voice.  
  
“No, you doofus, she's too small. She's barely larger than Mom,” answered a third voice.  
  
“Her tail isn't as fluffy,” stated a third voice.  
  
“Look at the ears; they’re the same shape as Uncle Nick's and Mr. Gideon’s,” said the first voice.  
  
“But she's too small; Uncle Nick and Mr. Gideon are like three times her size, easy,” said the second voice.  
  
“Cake?” asked the third innocently.  
  
“Foxes are good bakers…” the first voice hinted.  
  
“I would rather have cookies than cake,” said the second voice.  
  
“Don't you three have school work to do?” Bonnie said threateningly as she and Cotton entered through a side doorway. Cotton carried Robin with her as she entered the living room. “I'm sorry Mrs. Swifttail, I hope they didn't bother you too much,” Bonnie said apologetically as the other three kits scampered out of the living room.  
  
“Oh, it was no bother. It’s sometimes fun to see how long it takes kits to ask what kind of mammal I am,” Julia said smiling. “They seem amazingly at ease.”  
  
“Well, my new son-in-law has made some good inroads with the family,” Bonnie explained.  
  
“Oh I have no doubt about that,” Julia said.  
  
“So you know Judy and Nick then?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Only professionally at best. The amount of work they’ve dropped onto my office has made them somewhat legendary,” Julia explained, not specifying if it was a good or bad kind of legendary. “You must be Cotton,” she said as she turned her attention down to the young bunny. “I have read so much about you and would love to hear about the adventure you went on.”  
  
“I went on an adventure?” Cotton asked shyly as she hugged Robin to her chest.  
  
“She means when you fell down the well,” Bonnie said gently.  
  
“Grandpa doesn't like me talking about that,” Cotton said cautiously.  
  
“Why is that?” Julia asked kindly.  
  
“He says Uncle Nick pushed me into the well…” Cotton said.  
  
“Did he?”  
  
“NO!” Cotton yelled. “Uncle Nick would never do that! He’s the kindest bestest fox ever!”  
  
“Cotton, inside voice please,” Bonnie said gently.  
  
“Sorry,” Cotton said, much more subdued.  
  
“Then would you mind telling me what really happened?” Julia asked.  
  
Julia sat transfixed over the next few moments as Cotton told the entire story. From Nick and Judy’s wedding to coming back to Bunnyburrow and Bonnie getting upset. Then about the fight out in the field between Bonnie and Stu and Cotton just wanting to go to her special place. Then finally the wood breaking, her fall, calling for help and her rescue by her uncle.  
  
“Thank you, Cotton,” Julia said at the end of the story.  
  
“Grandpa and Pop-pop says that Uncle Nick eats bunnies, but I know that's a lie because Uncle Nick told me he has never eaten a bunny, but he does eat chicken and fish.” Cotton thought about it for a moment.“But we eat eggs, I do like scrambled eggs and omelets and even cake has eggs, and that's kinda like eating a chicken right?”  
  
“I never thought about it like that…” Julia said as she glanced up at Bonnie.  
  
“Uncle Nick makes the best cake, even better than Grandma’s!” Cotton's eyes went wide as she realized what she’d just said.  
  
“Oh really?” Bonnie asked.  
  
Cotton looked ashamed but nodded and hid behind Robin. She looked up at Bonnie with big brown eyes. “Love you Gramma.”  
  
“I love you too Cotton,” Bonnie huffed. “Do you need anything else of her?”  
  
“No, I think we’re good. Do you mind showing me the well if it's not too much of a problem?” Julia asked.  
  
“Go play Cotton while I go show Miss Swifttail the well,” Bonnie said. “We might want to take your car though.”  
  
Bonnie's heart thudded in her chest as the jeep slipped and slid up the muddy trail. Mud and water could be heard splashing off of the undercarriage and fenders. She gripped the handle built into the dash tightly as the fox beside her whooped and hollered as she controlled the jeep.  
  
“I take it this fence of ahead is it?” Julia asked as she spotted the chain link fence.  
  
“Yes,” Bonnie ground out between times she felt her stomach lurch with the sliding of the jeep.  
  
“Best day at work ever,” Julia said as she stopped the jeep near the fence.  
  
“What makes you say that?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“Any day I can expense a tank of gas to go off-roading is a good day,” Julia answered as she opened the jeep’s driver side door.  
  
Bonnie slowly pried her paws off of the handle in the dash and unbuckled her seat belt. She carefully stepped down the motorized drop steps and closed the door.  
  
“Would have been even more fun with the doors and top off, but it's a little too cold for that still” Julia lamented as she walked over to the gate of the fence and noticed the lock.  
  
Bonnie ambled over, fishing out her key ring from her pants pocket. “Wouldn’t you get muddy without the top and doors?” she asked.  
  
“Yes, but that's half the fun!” exclaimed Julia as she waited for Bonnie to open the gate.  
  
Julia stepped through the opened gate and looked down into the well and whistled. “She really fell down that?”  
  
“She did,” Bonnie answered from the other side of the fence. “And Nick went down after her.”  
  
“This is the part of the job I hate,” Julia said after a few moments and turned, looking Bonnie in the eyes.  
  
“What's that?” Bonnie asked.  
  
“We received notice yesterday that an Intent to Adopt has been filed for Cotton by Nick and Judy Wilde. Now I don't know if they talked to you about it or not, but I’m also here to give you notice of that,” Julia said solemnly. “I hate to break up families; it’s honestly the worst part of my job.”  
  
Bonnie smiled.  
  
“Now there’s no guarantee that the state will allow the adoption to go forward, and they still have at least a month or more of a process to go through to even allow a placement,” Julia explained carefully.  
  
“Julia…” Bonnie said.  
  
Julia sighed. “You should be proud Bonnie. You’ve raised good kits. Your family works together. You have a successful business. I love your strawberries by the way. But this is no reflection on you, your family, or your business.”  
  
“Julia, it's fine. I know Nick and Judy talked to a lawyer. I wasn't aware they filed; they might not be aware that it was filed. But that's ok; it’s what Cotton wants,” Bonnie said kindly.  
  
Julia sighed. “This is the part where… Wait, what?”  
  
“It’s fine. Cotton wants a mother and father; Nick and Judy can give her that,” Bonnie said, looking a little sad. “I won't fight it, Stu…might be an ass, but he’ll come around eventually.”  
  
Julia looked back down the well again and felt as if a weight she’d been carrying about her all day had been lifted. “I honestly can't believe he went down there for her.”  
  
“He did,” Bonnie confirmed. “Judy was on the phone with Stu trying to get help, and she turned just in time to see his tail disappear into the well.”  
  
“You mean he went head first?” Julia asked and looked up, surprised.  
  
“He did,” Bonnie answered. “You should speak to Clara about how he was after they got to the infirmary.”  
  
“I think I should, but first I’d like to see the plugs you’re having made for the wells,” Julia said. “And thank you for making this a little easier. I got into this work to help families, not tear them apart.”  
  
Bonnie nodded and smiled. “The plugs are still in the small tractor barn.”  
  
Bonnie held open one of the doors for the small tractor barn for Julia.  
  
“And this is the small barn?” Julia asked as she looked around the large open room filled with tractors and other projects.  
  
“Calling it a barn is a bit of a misnomer I suppose,” Bonnie said. “It's more of a maintenance shed. Most of the maintenance for the tractors and what not goes on here, along with some space dedicated to the mechanical projects that some of my kits get into.”  
  
“I would love to have something like this,” Julia said as she looked around at the lifts. “Would make working on my jeep a lot easier.”  
  
“The plugs are over this way; Sam was telling me she built them over specification with some of the extra materials we had from another project,” Bonnie explained as they went deeper into the warehouse-like barn.  
  
“And this is only one of five above ground buildings you have?” Julia asked.  
  
“Correct; there’s this barn, the main equipment storage warehouse, and three greenhouses. We’re looking into ways of expanding the greenhouses underground to make more efficient use of the space,” Bonnie explained. “One of my kits is actually working on the engineering of that project. We hope to break ground on it this summer.”  
  
“We wouldn’t have had to make these if it wasn't for that stupid fucking fox,” an angry voice spewed as Bonnie and Julia got closer.  
  
“Yeah, I bet that fox did something,” a voice said, clearly Stu’s. “Quarter inch plywood just doesn't break on its own. Adam told me it was built well enough that it wouldn't break in fifty years. But that fox clearly has his claws in your mother and sister.”  
  
“Dad, the entire warren knows he has more than his claws in her.”  
  
“Holy petunias, Holly had the nerve of asking me to use my tongue!”  
  
“Yeah, that’s that stupid fox’s influence, making our does think they deserve more,” Stu said venomously. “It's a good thing your mother hasn't tried that! It's bad enough that I have to spend money and time raising doorways for a fox that doesn't even live here.”  
  
“If only Jack had gotten some bunny dick into her.”  
  
Stu snorted. “Your sister has always been a bit off. Even if Jack had given her a litter, I doubt that would have stopped her and the fox.” He shook his head. “No, I think I’m gonna have to do what I should have when she decided to be a fluffing cop…”  
  
“And just what in Serendipity would that be, Stuart Jacobson Hopps!” Bonnie fumed with a surprised Julia beside her.  
  
“I should have disowned her!” Stu shouted. “Just look beside ya Bon, another fox! That’s the way they work! You invite one in and the next thing ya know you have a gaggle of the things wanting handouts!”  
  
“The only thing she’s here for is to make sure Cotton is all right after falling down the well!” Bonnie told him.  
  
“Wait… What?” Stu said surprised. “I thought she was going to be a rabbit. Swifttail is a good strong rabbit family name.”  
  
“Yes, one that I will always be proud of and grateful to,” Julia said, speaking up.  
  
Bonnie turned and looked at Julia.  
  
“Say what you will about my mother, but she was just a kit herself and made the decision to give me up for adoption. I bear her no ill will and now understand the position that she was in,” Julia explained.  
  
“But surely your family would have helped to take care of you?” Stu asked.  
  
“As you have so eloquently pointed out Mr. Hopps, I am a fox. My grandparents were barely making ends meet in a packing plant, and my biological mother was struggling just to get through high school. I firmly believe that she not only made the best choice for herself but for me as well,” Julia explained. “My mother and father, George and Hanna Swifttail, raised me among their many kits. They love me and treat me as if I was born to them.”  
  
“But…” Stu started.

Julia looked Stu in the eyes. “You need help.” Then she looked at the gathered bucks, “You all need help. The level of hate you’re spewing about your daughter and son in law sickens me.” She shook her head sadly. “But honestly, as a fox? I'm not surprised anymore. I’m sure Detective Wilde wouldn't be either. I have never met Mr. Wilde, but I am sure as a fox he has dealt with the same amount of hate and discrimination his entire life that I have.”  
  
“But your daughter?” She looked at the rest of the rabbits gathered around Stu. “Your sister?” She shook her head sadly. “Your daughter, I'm sure, would be appalled to hear what parts of her family think not just of her but her mate.”  
  
“Now you just wait here just one second,” Stu started, “I didn’t choose this! I tried to tell her that fox was just going to hurt her. Hell, he more than likely already has and she's just covering for him!”  
  
“Tell me Mr. Hopps, does that strike you at all like your daughter?” Julia asked. “I’ve never met her before, but does she strike you as someone who’d settle for that?”  
  
“Well, no but…” Stu started as confusion washed over his face.  
  
“But what, Stu?” Bonnie asked, her fury ringing evident in her voice.  
  
“HE'S A FILTHY FOX!” Stu started to rant. “They can’t be trusted! SHE…” Stu pointed the finger at Julia. “Can't be trusted for the same reason!”  
  
“Mr. Hopps, I may not be able to do much about your influence on the rest of your kits, but there’s one I can help give a loving and caring home,” Julia said sadly, “For once I don't hate this part of the job. Mr. Hopps, you are to stay away from Cotton. I'm putting you on notice now, but expect a formal court order delivered no later than tomorrow evening.”  
  
“Stay out of the warren Stu,” Bonnie said sadly, “All of you if you feel the same way as your father stays out of my home.” She said as she followed Julia out of the tractor barn, “This has to end.”  
  
“Bon Bon?” Stu asked to her back.  
  
Bonnie spun on her heel and yelled at him, “DON’T YOU BON BON ME!” Her eyes narrowed as she stared her husband down. “I thought you learned with your and Jack’s ‘carrot down a hallway’ comment. I had thought you learned with Nicholas saving Cotton's life.” Bonnie shook her head. “I can’t deal with you right now,” she said just above a whisper as she turned and walked away.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
Judy blinked as the late afternoon sun filtered through the thick warm fur around her, and her mind filtered back to earlier that morning.  
  
“Go home,” Mr. Fisher said as walked into Judy and Nick's office. Nick's head was laid down on his desk with his eyes closed, and Judy stared blankly at her report. “I don't want to see you two again until Monday; I cleared it with Bogo.”  
  
Judy stretched and snuggled into Nick’s chest; her eyes momentarily fluttered back shut. The beating of his heart combined with the warmth and Nick’s unique violet tinted musk lolled her eyes slowly back closed.  
  
Nick stretched, causing him to unwrap from around her as his back popped slightly. Judy whimpered somewhat at the sudden loss of warmth and security.  
  
“You awake Fluff?” Nick asked softly as he once again wrapped around her and pulled her tightly against him.  
  
“Mmmmm, blankets don't talk,” she said quietly as she turned over and buried her face in the fur of his chest.  
  
Nick slid his paw up her back, his paw pads sliding smoothly up through the silky smooth fur. He smiled as he felt her stiffen in his arms as he gently ran the edge of a claw down the side of one of her ears.  
  
“Nick…” Judy moaned as his claw slid back up her ear. The sound of her moaning his name was music to his ears. His other paw slowly slid down her back and cupped one of the firm cheeks of her ass.  
  
He smiled as he bent his muzzle down and softly kissed her between the ears just before whispering softly, “I love you.”  
  
Judy sat up and pushed him onto his back. Looking down into his eyes she smiled and said, “I love you too Nick.” Her paws gently ran over his cheeks before she kissed his lips softly.  
  
The kiss slowly deepened as their lips parted and tongues slowly started to entwine. The taste of her was intoxicating to him. His paw moved from her ear to the back of her head as he rolled over, pushing her into the bed. Her thighs automatically parted for him. Her paws gripped the scruff of his neck.  
  
Nick broke the kiss and nipped at the side of her neck, causing her to tilt her head to the side and back to give him access to her throat. He softly planted gentle kisses and nips to her throat. The smell of excited bunny filling his nostrils as he slowly started to move lower, kissing her collarbone.  
  
Judy whimpered as his elongated canines raked through her fur. He paused momentarily as his tongue flicked the sensitive nub of her right nipple, his eyes glued to her face. He planted a soft, gentle kiss between her breasts before moving over to the left one. His large rough tongue bathed her nipple and breast gently, her soft moans and churs music to his ears.  
  
“Niiiicckk…” Judy whined at him as he softly planted kisses down her taut stomach. He grinned up at her as he softly planted kisses on her inner thighs and above her mound. The scent of her was intoxicating, so very uniquely his wife; thick, rich, and earthy. She started to say something, but it disintegrated into a low husky moan as his tongue gently parted her slick folds from her entrance to her clit.  
  
Judy’s paws gripped his ears as his tongue explored the soft folds of her sex with an agonizing slowness. “Pleeease…” she started just before his tongue pressed into her. Judy’s thighs clamped around his head, her paws gripping his ears tighter as her back arched off of the bed. He watched in amazement as her orgasm tore through her body, he kept his tongue moving and twisting inside of her. She tried to force her paws to relax to no avail as he pulled his tongue from her to once again lick her from the entrance to her clit before plunging back into her.  
  
Judy’s eyes rolled back once again as Nick's tongue hit all the right places inside of her. Her paws left his ears and grabbed the bed sheets in an attempt to keep herself grounded in reality. Her eyes opened as he slowly pulled back from her. He slowly stalked back up her body, his deep emerald eyes glued to her bright amethyst ones.  
  
Judy looked down between them at the length of his foxhood then back up into his eyes. She lifted her hips as he slid one of the seldom used pillows under her hips and moaned as he ran the tip of his foxhood between the wet folds of her pussy.  
  
Nick groaned as he pressed the head of his foxhood into her. Her inner muscles gripped and slightly spasmed as he kept pushing more and more of his foxhood into her. They both moaned lewdly as her ankles hooked behind his hips and pulled him deeper into her body.  
  
Judy looked down between them; the size of him still caused a shiver to go down her back. Her eyes moved back up to him and once again locked as she pulled him down into a deep passionate kiss. Her paws entwined into the fur of his neck.  
  
Nick broke the kiss as he pulled his hips back, the sound of Judy’s whimpers filled his ears. Her whimpers turned to moans as he thrust back forward, burying himself deep inside of her. He wrapped his paws up under her shoulders, holding her in place but also holding her to his chest.  
  
The tight, wet warmth of her body felt like heaven to him. Her mews, grunts, and moans sounded like music to his ears. Nick could feel her tighten around him; her body slowly became like a wound spring.  
  
“NIIIICKKk…” Judy moaned as she pulled her legs back, trying to give him more access between them. “Sweeettt….” she started to say just as the dam burst inside of her, her abs pulled taunt as she clamped down onto his thrusting foxhood.  
  
Nick paused and moaned into the side of her neck. His fangs brushed gently through her soft fur. His eyes closed at the feeling of her body clamping and fluttereing around his foxhood. The knot at the base of his cock started to swell, and his breathing became more ragged with his own need as he began to once again thrust into her.  
  
Judy felt him shift; her shoulders pressed more into the bed, and one of his paws moved down to support her lower back. She grunted with each of his thrusts; her eyes fluttered open just long enough to see his crimson and cream colored fur over her. She tilted her head back and moaned loudly, “Yes…”  
  
Nick whimpered as he tried to push his knot into her with each of his thrusts. His paws tightened as her ankles pulled on his hips once again, encouraging him. With each thrust into her, her body clamped and fluttered around him enticingly. His whimper quickly turned into an almost feral growl as he slammed his hips forward.  
  
“Yes! Yes! Knot me…” Judy started to yell in the throws of her passion as his knot finally slipped inside of her.  
  
Nick growl faded off, and he felt her bear down on the entirety of him trapped inside of her. “Love…you,” he managed to grunt out as he spilled his seed deep into her womb.  
  
Judy moaned at the heat that flooded her body; her paws loosened from his fur and softly petted his neck as he held him. “I love you too,” she whispered to him softly. His paws squeezed her lightly before he held her to his chest and rolled to his back, holding her to him.  
  
Judy relaxed into him as he softly licked the fur between her ears. Their breathing slowly evened out as she periodically squeezed him with her inner muscles.  
  
“Keep that up Fluff and we may be here for a while,” Nick said playfully.  
  
“Silly fox,” Judy said as she looked up at him, her eyes gleaming playfully. “Do you really think you’re getting away with only one round?”


	13. Episode 13: Like a candle in the dark

# Episode 13: Like a candle in the dark

Who's gonna fight for what's right  
Who's gonna help us survive  
We're in the fight of our lives  
(And we're not ready to die)  
Who's gonna fight for the weak  
Who's gonna make 'em believe  
I've got a hero (I've got a hero)  
Livin' in me  
Hero ~ Skillet

Judy woke slowly. The predawn light that filtered in through the window was further muted by the warm cream colored fur of her fox’s chest. The soft stroking of his paw down her ear and the low gentle purr confirmed to her that he for once was already awake. She scooted in closer and rubbed her chin gently across his chest.

“Morning, Carrots.”

“Mmmmmmm, what time is it?” Judy asked.

“Fifteen to 5,” he answered softly.

“We have to get up soon,” Judy said as she enjoyed the soft attention. “What time did you get up?”

“Just a little bit ago; couldn't sleep.”

Judy smiled. “Excited about seeing Cotton?”

Nick smiled and his tail thumped her gently on the back. “Yeah, I am. I know it's silly but I've missed her, and our last MuzzleTime didn’t go so well.”

Judy nodded. “Well, we should get up soon and get a shower, so we can make the train on time. And Nick?” she asked as he looked down at her. “I don't think it’s silly; it’s a little sweet actually.”

“Did you call your mom yesterday to let her know we’re coming out?” Nick asked and stretched, uncurling from around her. “Why do you think Mr. Fisher didn't want us talking with Delgato yet?”

Judy looked at him curiously. “Are you honestly complaining about having a long weekend off?”

“After everything we’ve gone through to get to this point?” Nick asked hypothetically. “No, I'm just curious.”

Judy shrugged. “Delgato’s arraignment is today. I’m betting Mr. Fisher wants to throw him in gen pop for the weekend to loosen him up a bit.”  

Nick sat up on the edge of the bed. “With all the evidence that was on that thumb drive?” Nick shook his head. “How stupid do you have to be to keep copies of the files you changed?”

“Cor did say that there was a possibility that the program backed it up onto there without Delgato’s knowledge,” Judy said as she yawned and stretched. “We can ask him on Monday.”   

Nick nodded and smacked, his dry mouth . “So did you call your mom then?”

Judy blushed. “I was a little tied up yesterday day Slick; I didn't get the chance.”

“Then you had better knot forget on the train then,” Nick said with a grin on his face.

Judy blinked at him and his grin before she picked up a pillow and threw it in his face.

Nick chuckled as he stood and made his way to the bathroom. “What, Carrots? I happen to remember you telling me that bunnies are good at multiplying on, like, the second day we met.”

Judy followed after him as he started up the shower. “Did I lie?” she asked him, with her own smug smile on her face.

“No, no you did…” He caught the glare she started shooting him as he adjusted the temperature of the water. “Ummmm, I mean, I can’t say you did, Fluff.”

Judy reached up and scratched him under his chin, her sly grin returning. “Good foxy, now let's get in the shower so we’re not late.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy climbed up into her seat on the train as Nick placed their bag under their seats. “I’m going to call Mom and let her know we’ll be there in a couple of hours,” Judy said as she pulled out her cell phone.

“Ok,” Nick said as he pulled out his own phone and started to browse the business news as the train left the station. Most of the train car was empty, as most mammals would be heading toward the city center not away from it on an early Friday morning.

Boring, he thought as he scrolled past a story about the next iCarrot rumors. Nick rolled his eyes slightly at a story about what the latest Muzzlebook break meant for the stock price. Nothing as long as idiots keep using it,  he thought, and then paused. Cuppaw Industries to liquidate Cuppaw Property Management and Holding. 

Nick raised an eyebrow as he clicked on the link and started to read the story. I wonder what they need that money for?  he asked himself as he glanced over at Judy still talking on the phone to her mother. I honestly haven't been paying attention to that conversation… He turned his attention back to his phone and pulled up his contacts list.

Clicking Daisy's contact and then selecting text he started to type with his right paw while taking a sip of coffee from the cup in his left.

Nick: We should bid on the weather wall contract; with Cuppaw liquidating assets for some reason we stand a chance at getting it.

Daisy: We know nothing about the weather walls though.

Nick: It doesn't matter if we do or don't. We can hire the mammals that already do the work. Maybe send your boy toy Mike to talk to the fore-mammals.  It might help us in putting together our proposal.

Daisy: Cuppaw isn't going to want to hear a proposal of anything other than how much we will give them for the contract.

Nick: Screw Cuppaw. I want to go to the city planning and maintenance commission. They can revoke that contract.

Daisy: That is a long shot.

Nick looked over at Judy as he sat his coffee cup down and started to type again. His thumbs darted across his phone’s keyboard.

Nick: I might have a way in, but will need to talk to Judy. The city owes us something for her getting shot with a tranq dart but neither of us want that money coming from the ZPD as it will only hurt the city in the long run.

Daisy: Do you think she'll go for it?

Nick: It will keep mammals employed and help the city in the long run so probably.

Daisy: Ok I want to put offers on a few buildings as well but I will talk to Mike about putting together a proposal.

Nick: We are heading to Bunnyburrow for the weekend. Send me the info on the buildings and I'll tell you what I know about the neighborhoods so you can make a decision. Tell your boy toy I said hi.

Daisy: He's not my boy toy.

Nick glanced over at Judy as she hung up her phone and looked out the window at the changing cityscape. Her ears were plastered down her back and she was trying to discreetly wipe at her eyes.

Nick: Sure sure, gotta go Carrots is looking upset and she just got off the phone with her mother.

Daisy: I understand, give your wife my love and we should all get together sometime.

“Carrots?” Nick asked softly as he put the phone down on the seat beside him.

Judy shook her head. “Ju… just give me a minute ok?”

Nick nodded and gathered her up and pulled her into his lap draping his tail over her. “Take all the time you need,” he whispered into her ears as he held her.

Judy stared out the window as the scenery changed, and the train picked up speed as it headed out over the harbor and toward the countryside.

“Mom is talking about seeing Mr. Greystone,” Judy said softly.

Nick thought for a moment “Who’s that?” he asked. “I don’t think I've met him.”

“He’s a divorce attorney…” Judy answered. “Dad…has been saying some things, hurtful things, and Mom is tired of it and, and…” Her paws gripped Nick's tail. “I know it's not my fault but it feels like it is.”

Nick snorted. “It's not though.”

“I know that,” Judy said. “I didn't make Dad say anything. I only dared to be happy.”

“I’m taking it your father just can't accept that?” Nick asked.

“Mom wouldn’t tell me what he's been saying, but…” Judy shrugged. “It stands to reason.”

Nick nodded and stroked her ears softly. “I thought there for a little bit after Cotton fell down the well that he was getting better about me.”

“So did I,” Judy admitted. “But it looks like they’re going to divorce over it.”

“It might not come to that,” Nick said softly, kissing her between the ears.

Judy snorted and smiled. “I’m supposed to be the overly optimistic one, Nick.”

Nick smiled. “Maybe you’ve infected me with it.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Caaarrrots,” Nick said softly to the sleeping bunny in his lap. Her napping in his lap had garnered him more than a few curious looks, maybe even more than a pawful of disgusted looks. “Caaarrrots,” he whispered to her again, just a bit louder. “Time to wake up; we’re almost there.”

Nick smiled as she stretched and opened her eyes. The scenery outside had changed drastically from what she remembered. Long gone were the forest covered gentle rolling hills. They were now replaced with the flat plained farmlands of the burrows.  She smacked her mouth dryly as Nick placed her bottle of water in her paws.

“Thanks,” she said after taking a long sip of water. The train had noticeably begun to slowly down.

“Now arriving in Bunnyburrow,” came the almost bored announcement from the overhead speaker.

“Sour dough and honey, Nick!” Judy exclaimed. “Did you really let me sleep all the way here?”

“You seemed to have needed it,” Nick answered.

“Uhhh, ummmm excuse me?” Judy heard a voice behind her, and turned to find a small family of rabbits. There were three young bucks and two does, all maybe just a bit older than Cotton. The older male and doe that Nick and Judy assumed were their parents looked nervous.

“You wouldn’t be, ummmm, Officer Ho… I mean Wilde?” asked the older doe.

Judy nodded. “I’m Detective Wilde.” She gave them a smile and pointed a thumb behind her at Nick. “This is my partner and husband, also Detective Wilde.”

The parents glanced at Nick before turning their attention back to Judy, trying to ignore Nick's presence. “Yes, yes of course. Ummm, sorry to bother you, but our kits are big fans of yours and would love to get a picture with you.”

Judy’s eyes softened. “Certainly…”

“Can we get it with both of you?” the older buck spoke up. “We’re trying hard to teach our kits that just because a mammal has sharp bits doesn't make them all bad.”

Judy turned to look at Nick as the doe added. “With everything that's going on, we’re trying to teach them to judge each mammal by their own merits, as both predators and prey have broken the law over the last few years.”

“That’s a rather open minded approach,” Nick said gently.

“We’re trying. Dave and I weren’t raised to be overly social to…” Judy turned back around to see the doe struggle for a correct word.

“It’s ok. I know exactly what you mean,” Judy said. “Now let's get you guys that picture before the train stops.”

Nick knelt down behind Judy and placed a paw gently on her shoulder as the rabbit couple’s kits crowded around in front of them.

“Ok, say cheese and strawberries!” the mother said as she pulled out her cell phone to take the picture.

“Cheese and strawberries!” all the rabbits exclaimed.

“Blueberries!” exclaimed Nick with a sly smile on his face, being careful not to show any teeth in the photo. The rabbits all giggled at the fox as the picture was snapped.

“Thank you again!” the matronly doe said to them as she gathered up her children.

“You’re welcome,” Judy said kindly as Nick pulled their bag from under their seat and the train slowed to a stop.

“I wonder what kind of reception we’ll receive this time,” Nick wondered.

“Now arriving at Bunnyburrow!” came the announcement over the loudspeaker.

“I'm not sure; most of the family should either be at school or working the fields,” Judy said as they walked down the aisle toward the doors. She smiled. “But if Cotton got wind of us coming, I'm sure you’re going to have a welcoming committee.”

Nick smiled warmly, his tail wagging slightly behind him. “Don't worry Fluff, you’re still my favorite bunny.”  

Judy smiled up at him as the doors slid open. “So you’re not just using me to get to my niece?”

“Why does it have to be either or?” Nick asked as they stepped out onto the platform. “I thought at this point you guys were a two for one deal.”

“I’m not worried you dumb fox,” Judy said as she stopped in her tracks to turn and look up at him. She grabbed the loose tie and pulled him down to look him in the eyes. “I think it’s cute,” she told him before kissing his lips softly and letting go of his tie. “Doesn’t mean I'm not going to tease you over it though.”

Nick smiled as he straightened up and pulled his sunglasses out of his shirt pocket. He flicked them open as he watched the enticing way her tail twitched as he followed her.

“UNCLE NICK!” came the cry from across the platform. Nick looked up just in time to see a familiar little bunny run across to him, passing right by Judy to jump into his arms.

“Hey Cotton Ball,” Nick said warmly as Cotton wrapped her small arms around his neck.

“Uncle Nick, Uncle Nick, gramma said you was gonna come and you came!” Cotton said excitedly into his neck. “I missed you Uncle Nick!”

“Sorry Jude,” Nick heard Bonnie say. “She wasn't going to be left behind as soon as she knew who I was coming to pick up.”

“It’s ok Mom; guess I'm just chopped celery now is all…” Judy said as she looked to Nick and Cotton.

“Hi Aunt Judy,” Cotton said demurely, turning her head to look at Judy from her place in Nick's arms.

“Hi to you too, Cotton,” Judy sniffed sadly, “Guess this is what it feels like to be replaced by a scruffy fox.”

“Hey, Uncle Nick isn't scruffy,” Cotton said in his defense, and Nick just smiled smugly.

“She has a point Jude,” Bonnie said assessing Nick's bright blue Hawaiian shirt. “But solid colors do look better on you dear,” she told him.   

“I’ll have you know madam that these are the height of fashion,” Nick said in his own defense.

“Yes, for an 80s hustler in a cheap B-rated movie,” Judy shot back.

“So says the country bumpkin,” Nick said as they walked toward the parking lot.

“You know you love me,” Judy said as his tail wrapped around her waist once again.

Nick smiled down at her. “With all that I am Carrots, and then some.”

Judy’s ears fell down her back and she stared up at him in response to his sincere honesty, not some playful rib or joke but as if he had laid his soul bare to her.

“You love me too, right Uncle Nick?” Cotton asked.

“Of course I do Cotton Ball,” Nick answered and touched his nose to hers.

Judy could see her mothers smile as they neared the ratty SUV that she’d brought to pick them up in. Nick put Cotton down and went around to the back of the SUV and tossed their bag inside before climbing into the passenger side back seat besides Cotton’s booster seat. Judy climbed into the front passenger seat as Bonnie got into the driver seat.    

Judy watched out the window as Cotton’s excited voice faded into the background, telling Nick of the various things that had happened around the farm.

“You did good Judes,” Bonnie said quietly, so as not to disturb the conversation in the back seat.

Judy nodded. “Just wish the rest of the family could see it.”

Bonnie sighed, “I'm sure you’re not here to worry over our problems; besides, they have nothing to do with you.”

“Mom, how can you say that when you’re talking about seeing Mr. Greystone?” Judy asked.

“Judes, it's your father's choice; it's not like you’re putting words in his muzzle,” Bonnie said. “Any decent parent will only want their kits to be happy and healthy, and if your father was in his right mind he would see that you are both.”

Judy nodded sadly, “I still feel responsible. Maybe if we hadn’t had moved so fast and given the family time…”

“Maybe,” Bonnie admitted. “But that's not you Jude.”

Judy sighed and looked out the window again. “I’m sorry Mom.”

“Judy, your father and I should be used to this from you by now,” Bonnie said. “I mean, you have been defying rabbit expectations since you’ve been born.” She briefly looked in the rear-view mirror at Nick. “I’m just happy you found someone to be happy with; you may have been defying expectations, but you’re still a bunny, and bunnies need a connection with another mammal.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy watched as Nick tossed their bag beside the bed and looked around. “Doesn't look like it’s changed much,” he commented. “The door size changes have been rather nice.”

The room had once been a honeymoon suite of sorts for newly wed couples, but her mom had insisted that they take it as their own after Nick saved Cotton from the well. They’d even had a door plaque made that said “The Wildes” on it. They were one of a small pawful of Hopps extended family to have their family name on a door, and the only family that didn’t live there full time to have their name on a door.

Judy smiled. “Well, Mom did say that they wanted you to be comfortable here.”

“It was fine the way it was,” Nick said warmly, “But the gesture is appreciated.”

Judy walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly. “Did it work?” she asked. “Does it make you more comfortable here?”

Nick smiled down at her and rested his large paws on her back. “Honestly? Yeah, a little bit, since it did kind of suck having to bend down to get through doorways.”

“I'm glad to hear that, Slick,” she said as she broke the hug. “Come on, let's go have some lunch; then Hipp should be back from seeing Iris and we can talk to her.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hipp smiled as she walked up to the stone path toward the Woolverton family home. The sun felt warm on her fur, and for the first time in a while she didn't feel like she needed a jacket or anything. It will still be a while before all the mud dries up, but thankfully it's nice out today, she thought to herself as she rang the doorbell.

“Ahh, Hipp,” Mrs. Woolverton greeted her. “Please come in.”

“Thank you Mrs. Woolverton,” Hipp said. “I have some good news.”

“I take it your brother-in-law has arrived?” Mrs Woolverton said.

“Yes, Mom had left to pick them up when I was getting ready to come here,” Hipp said. “Now I know you’d prefer not to have company on Saturday…”

“Oh I think for this we can make an exception,” Mrs. Woolverton said kindly. “Do you think we can do it after lunch?”

“I think Nick would actually prefer that; if I remember right, he's not much of an early morning mammal anyway,” Hipp answered.

“Yes, yes; I remember when we had Raymond he was always a chore to get up in the morning to go to school,” Mrs. Woolverton said with a sad smile on her face. “I look forward to seeing Judith again though.” She paused and looked concerned. “I wonder if she told Sharla about her marriage…”

Hipp shrugged and looked away sheepishly, “I honestly don't like admitting this, but I don’t have as good of a relationship with my sister as I should. I’m actually grateful they decided to honor an agreement I made without talking with them first.”

Mrs. Woolverton placed her hoof kindly on Hipp's shoulder. “We don't always have the relationships with our family we’d like to have,” she said kindly. “Sharla didn’t speak with us for a week when Raymond was placed with us.”

“Because he was a fox?” Hipp asked as they walked deeper into the home.

Mrs. Woolverton nodded. “It was unfortunate what happened between Judy and Gideon. Sharla evidently took it harder than Judy did.” She smiled down at Hipp. “If she hadn’t moved past that incident, where would she be at today?”

Hipp smiled. “How is Iris doing today?”

“She's well; we found her in her room this morning,” Mrs Woolverton said. “She said she went all the way down the hall and back to her room again this morning.”

“Did you tell her she has a visitor coming?” Hipp asked.

“No, I figured we should leave that up to you.” Mrs Woolverton answered.

Hipp smiled warmly, “Well then, I better not keep the lucky bunny waiting.”

“Well then, I won’t keep you any longer,” Mrs. Woolverton said as she headed in the direction of the kitchen.

Hipp walked down the hall, the green carpet soft and plush under her feet. She looked into Iris’s room and smiled. The young bunny sat behind her blanket wall, looking at the newspaper clipping of her Nick and Judy in her paws.

Hipp knocked politely on the bedroom door frame. “May I come in?” she asked.

Iris let out a startled squeak as she looked up at Hipp. “Why did you do that?” she asked.

“Because it's polite for visitors to knock and ask if they can come in,” Hipp said with a smile.

Iris blinked at Hipp and frowned. “You never knocked before,” she said quietly.

Hipp smiled, “May I come in?”

“I guess,” Iris answered. “Why did you knock today?”

Hipp smiled as she walked into the room and sat cross legged across from Iris. “Because tomorrow you have a visitor coming.”

“So you’re coming here tomorrow?” Iris asked as she put her newspaper clipping aside. “But tomorrow is Saturday; I thought Saturday was your day off.”

“I will be coming over, yes, but for a different reason,” Hipp explained. “The Wildes are coming to visit you.”

“Nicholas?” Iris asked. “But I haven't made it all the way to the dining room yet.”

Hipp smiled. “They had a break from work and were able to getaway,” She explained. “Mrs. Woolverton said you were still in your room this morning. Did you try?”

Iris nodded. “I made it back to my room.”

“Do you think you can do it again?” Hipp asked.

Iris looked to her bedroom door, her nose twitching wildly. Her eyes hardened slightly before she nodded and stood up from behind her blanket fortifications.

Hipp stood and walked beside the young bunny. She watched as Iris carefully took her steps down the hallway, carefully avoiding the boards she knew that squeaked. But still Iris made her way down the hall with confidence, only pausing once outside of Tobey’s room even though the young sheep was at school.  

“See? You made it!” Hipp said when they reached the end of the hall.

“Is he nice?” Iris asked as she looked up at Hipp, her deep blue eyes shining bright.

“I haven’t really met him,” Hipp admitted. “But my mother speaks highly of him, and my sister Judy wouldn’t marry someone she didn’t both love and respect.”

“I haven’t had a visitor before,” Iris said as they made their way slowly back down the hall to her room.

“I come visit you,” Hipp said.

Iris nodded and her eyes darted down the hall.

“Miss Swifttail visited you as well,” Hipp added.

“Different,” Iris said as they neared her bedroom door.

“Maybe, but not really,” Hipp said. “Do you think you can go a little further?”

Iris looked down the hall toward the dining room and swallowed, but nodded her head. “I can try.”

Hipp smiled down at Iris as she took a step toward the dining room. “That's what the world needs is more triers.”

“Really?” Iris asked as they took another step and she leaned against the wall her legs shaking.

“Yeah, Mom and Dad use to call Judy their little trier,” Hipp explained. “But the way I see it, if the world had more triers, then bad things wouldn't happen as much.”

“Really?” Iris asked again as she stopped and closed her eyes, her legs shaking.

“Can you try one more step?” Hipp asked the younger bunny.

“Hurts…” Iris said softly.

“Just one,” Hipp said kindly as she held out her paw for Iris. “Just one more, then we can go back to your room.”

Iris opened her eyes and looked at Hipp’s outstretched paw before she looked up at Hipp’s light blue eyes. She pushed herself off of the wall and took the step needed to take ahold of Hipp's paw.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hipp stretched as she slid out of her old Zoobaru. _I need to update my notes tonight_ , she thought to herself. _Iris made great progress today, but that one extra step just about did her in. Might need to add more squats and other leg exercises now that she's making it that far,_ she thought as she walked up to the front door of the warren.

The rich smell of baking washed over her nose as she stepped through the front door. Mmmmmm, smells like dessert tonight is going to be awesome,  she thought as she made her way down the entryway.

“Did you hear? I think Judy’s fox Nick is baking deserts for tonight,” she heard one of her sisters say as she paused at the entrance to the great family room.

“Yeah, Mom put him to work almost as soon as he finished lunch!” one of the younger kits said.

“Whatever it is he's doing smells delicious…”

“I hope there are cookies…”

“And cake!”

Hipp smiled. Well that answers where Nick is, she thought to herself as she made her way down to the kitchen. As she neared the kitchens, the smell of baked goods got stronger. She looked into the kitchen and saw the red fox in a bright blue Hawaiian shirt with a loosely tied tie and khaki pants, over which he wore one of the carrot print aprons. She watched as the fox seemed at home amongst all the rabbits that hustled around taking sheets of cookies out of ovens amongst a cacophony of different timers.

Hipp's mouth watered as she remembered the last time Nick baked for the family.

“Hipp Hopps, I swear I raised you better than to just stand around while others are working!” Bonnie's voice broke her from her thoughts.

Nick grinned. “Yeah DJ, you better get in here and help before you lose out on all this deliciousness.”

“DJ?” Hipp asked. “I thought Donna Joe was on field duty…?”

Nick blinked at her. “Yeah, DJ. You know, because of the hip hop.”

Judy groaned. “Really Slick, is that the best you could come up with?”

“Hush Carrots and make with the getting those cookies off of that tray. I don't want my sterling reputation marred because you were slow,”  Nick shot back.

Hipp’s nose twitched at Nick’s toothy, but genuine, smile at her sister.

“Cookie for your thoughts?” Nick asked Hipp, once again breaking her from her thoughts. “We got chocolate chip, peanut butter, and white chocolate macadamia nut; if you’re more of a cake bunny then you'll need to wait for dinner.”

“You’re very comfortable here,” Hipp observed.

“That's an observation, not what's on your mind, DJ,” Nick said with a wink. “If you’re wanting a cookie you'll need to do better than that.” He leaned a little closer to her and stage whispered. “If I was you, I’d rinse a bowl or something while you’re figuring it out; otherwise Bonnie might yell at both of us.”

“How is the kit doing today?” Bonnie asked as Hipp started to load one of the industrial dishwashers.

“Iris?” Hipp asked. “She made progress today; took one more step farther than she has before, but she's nervous about tomorrow.”  

“Why’s that?” Judy asked.

“She hasn’t had many visitors; those that do typically are there because it's their job,” Hipp explained. “She knows this; while she might not be able to articulate it, she does understand it.”

“Sounds like a smart cookie,” Nick said. “Think she would like a cookie?”

“Don’t see why she wouldn’t,” Hipp said. “She is nervous about meeting you though.”

“Nervous about meeting him?” one of the other rabbits in the kitchen asked. “Red there is a pushover; just threaten to withhold blueberries and he caves.”

“Really?” Hipp asked.

Judy giggled. “Yep; how do you think Mom got him to bake?”

“Hey, she didn’t threaten to withhold anything!” Nick said in Bonnie’s defense. “She did bribe me with an extra carton to take home, though,” he said as he looked thoughtful. “But bribing an officer is a serious offense.”

“Oh hush you,” Bonnie said. “You'll get your blueberries.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Nick said to the laughter of the rabbits in the kitchen. His tail wagged as he mixed more cookie dough.

“Don’t let Mr. Smarty Fox here fool you; he's nervous about meeting her as well,” Judy told Hipp.

“He is?” Hipp asked watching Nick carefully.

“Mmmmhmmm, not everyday that he's asked to meet someone as a reward to that mammal,” Judy explained. “I did a couple of Make a Wish events last year, but Nick?”

Hipp frowned and turned away from the fox and went back to loading the dishwasher. “She's a good kit. She has a newspaper clipping of when you pulled her out of the basement,” she explained as she closed the dishwasher and turned it on. “You’re her hero.”

“Seems to be a growing trend with you Nick,” Bonnie said. “Saving bunnies, that is.”

“What can I say?” Nick asked. “I'm a sucker for soft fluffy things.”

“That has to be the first time I’ve ever heard “soft and fluffy” used to describe Jude the Dude,” spoke up one of the brothers.

“You’re one to talk, Slick,” Judy said. ‘You use more fur conditioner in your tail than I use on my entire body.”

“Yes, but I have to keep it soft, considering you curl up under it every night,” Nick shot back as he scooped and balled up cookie dough on trays.

“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Bonnie said. “As a kit she had to be at the very bottom of the bunny pile, and if she wasn't then she sure wormed her way there.”

“Seems about right,” Nick said as he handed the tray off to be placed in an oven.

“Just what in fluff’s name is that supposed to mean, Mr. Grabby Paws?” Judy asked. “If I'm not snuggled against you, you make sure that I am. At least you’re warm and fluffy, and not a bit of the jerk you pretended to be when we first met.”

“Now there's a story that I would like to hear,” Hipp said. “Just how did you two meet?”

“Oh that's a classic story of the ages. It has everything, love and romance, action and adventure, and a crazy megalomaniac sheep,” Nick said, “I’m surprised no one has made a movie about it yet.”

“Probably looking for a mammal that could be as scruffy as you,” Judy said.

“Nah, more than likely they’re looking for someone that could pull off the concentrated hate of Bellwether,” Nick said. “I'm sure she was so small because of all the hate weighing her down.” Nick shook his head. “I mean, do you remember the size of  those rams?”

“She was something else, even had me fooled,” Judy said as she shook her head.

“Well, that doesn't take much Fluff,” Nick grinned. “I had you fooled into thinking I was a jerk.”

“What changed?” Hipp asked.

Nick looked thoughtful for a moment. “Our boss,” he answered.

“Bogo?” Judy asked.

Nick nodded. “We had just gotten chased by a crazed jaguar; we were almost eaten at least three times. Fell from a tree in the Rainforest District. Yet there Buffalo Butt stood, all proud and mighty, demanding Judy's badge with still 9 hours remaining to find Mr. Otterton.” Nick rolled more cookie dough. “He was a bully when I met him years ago, and he was a bully then too, just with more power.”

“Nick stood up for me and we found Mr. Otterton and the rest of the missing mammals,” Judy smiled. “If it wasn't for Nick, I wouldn't be a cop now.”   

Nick shook his head, “You give me too much credit, Carrots. You would have done just fine without me.”

“Maybe,” Judy said. “But I'll be honest, it felt better with you at my side.”

Nick smiled down at her as he ignored the rest of the family around them and gently tilted her chin up. “That's how I’ve felt every day since my academy graduation,” he said, just before kissing her lips softly.

“Awww! Remember when Mom and Dad use to be like that?”

“Yeah… What happened?”

“Your father decided that his good ole boy purist image was more important than family,” Bonnie answered as Nick and Judy broke their kiss. “Now he just sits out in the barn with his good ole boys club. I swear most of your brothers that are out there with him are just there trying to curry favor.”

Judy watched as Nick looked thoughtful. His tail swung side to side slightly as he dabbed out more cookie dough. “What are you thinking Slick?”

Nick shrugged, “Who says I'm thinking anything?”

Judy thumped her foot and crossed her arms looking up at him. “I've known you for how long now?”

Nick smiled down at her smugly. “Eighteen months, maybe more give or take.”

“Ut oh Nick, watch out, her foot’s thumping!” one of her brothers called.

“I know you’re planning something.”

“Maybe I’m just thinking about later,” Nick deflected.

“Just what about later?” Judy asked.

“Well, I typically would not speak of such things in front of your family, but if you insist…” Nick started just before her paws clamped his muzzle shut.

“Not another word Slick…”

Judy looked up at him; his smug smirk remained, and the sparkle in his eyes got just a tad bit brighter. “It's called a hustle sweetheart,” she heard in her head. But who is he trying to hustle? Judy thought. Mom and Dad?”

“Bonnie?” Nick asked. “Does Stu have a favorite kind of liquor?”

“Why, yes, but…” she started to answer.

“In vulpine culture, it’s tradition to bring a gift, and while my baked goods are delicious, I don’t think they would be as appreciated by Stu as a good bottle of booze,” Nick answered.

“He likes single barrel whiskey,” one of her brothers said. “The stuff with a black label.”

“Jackrabbit Daniels?” Nick asked as he continued to roll balls of cookie dough.

“Yeah, that's the stuff; there’s a bottle of it in our room,” Bonnie said.

“Thanks, but I can pick some up when we’re out tomorrow,” Nick said with a smile.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick softly padded down the hallway Cotton cradled in his arms. She slept peacefully, her face pressed against his chest as he followed Judy through the labyrinth of hallways to Cotton's bedroom.

Nick grinned. _All those poor bunnies with all those cookies and pieces of cake_ , he thought to himself. _Dinner was excellent. Not sure who made my dinner though, as Judy’s stayed at my side all day._ He licked his lips at the memory of the salmon filet that had been on his plate.

“Here,” Judy said softly as she opened the door for him. Cotton’s room was decorated in bright pink and purple, with a few toys strewn around the room and Robin sitting on her bed. The automatic lighting of the warren had swapped the lights of the room to a dull red to help the bunnies see better in the dark but not disturb their sleep.

Nick gently pulled back the covers of the bed and laid Cotton down before pulling them back up under her chin. “Nite nite, Cotton Ball,” Nick said softly, “See you in the morning.”

“Love you, Uncle Nick,” Cotton murmured softly before she rolled to her side and pulled Robin in close.

Nick's ears folded back and smiled. “I love you too, Cotton,” he said softly before retracing his steps back toward the door. He looked one more time to the bed before he ducked and slipped out of the door as Judy shut it softly behind him.

“See Slick, nothing to it,” Judy smiled up at him as they walked down the hall once again.

They walked in silence as they headed toward their rooms. Faint sounds of rabbits getting ready for bed could be heard behind the closed doors.

“So what are you planning?” Judy asked.

“Right now I plan on curling up with my favorite rabbit and getting some much needed sleep,” Nick answered.

“Not what I meant…” Judy started.

“Isn’t it?” Nick asked. “You asked what I’m planning; well I’m planning on going to bed and I just assumed you would join me.”

“Get a room you two!” came the call from behind one of the doors.

Judy’s ears fell and glanced to her left, then she looked back up at Nick and his smug expression.

“The movie was good,” Nick said nonchalantly.

“What, you’ve never seen Floatzen?” Judy asked.

Nick shook his head. “Nope, kids movies didn’t interest me much when it came out.”

“That must have been the 500th time I've seen it,” Judy said, and shook her head. “It seems to make the rounds of the warren every few years.”

“So you went and saw it in theater?” Nick asked.

Judy nodded. “Went with Sharla and a few of my younger sisters when it first came out.”

Nick opened the door to their room for Judy. “After you, madam,” he said in a semi posh sounding accent.

As soon as the door closed behind them Judy spun on her heel and grabbed his tie and yanked him down so they could see eye to eye. “Ok Mr. Smarty Fox, talk. Just what are you planning?” Her eyes narrowed. “And so help me if you say bed…”

Nick swallowed nervously, “I just thought maybe I could get your dad to open up in the age old ritual of male bonding over booze.”

Judy blinked as Nick continued. “Your mom and dad have been together for a long time, and I just think there might be more to it than you and me getting married. But I doubt he would give me a straight answer sober…”

Judy let go of his tie. “Nick, my dad is a country bunny; while he might be smaller than you, he would drink you under the table.”

Nick’s ears pinned back in a feigned expression of hurt. “Good thing we’ll be drinking in the barn then; no tables to be drunk under,” he quipped as he untied his tie and draped it over the back of the couch.

“Well I guess if you're bound and determined to leave me a widow…” Judy started to get ready for bed as well. “So you expect to get my dad drunk and have him spill his secrets?”

Nick shrugged and took off his shirt before he stepped into the en suite bathroom. “It's worked for me in the past.”

Judy followed him into the bathroom as he  brushed his teeth. “So you’re going to hustle my fox hating dad?” She asked him.

“If it will save your parents’ marriage?” Nick asked after spitting the toothpaste into the sink. “Yes, yes I am.”

“Nick that’s…” Judy started.

“A brilliant plan?” Nick asked.

“It’s something alright,” Judy admitted. “But why not lay out your plan in the kitchen?”

“First rule of hustling, Carrots, you can't hustle a mammal that knows you’re about to hustle them,” Nick explained. “While your family may love my baked goods, I'm not 100% sure they’re all on Team Wilde.”

“Team Wilde?” Judy asked before she started to brush her teeth.

“Yeah; while I might be doing this ‘solo’,because you know, that male bonding thing, we,” he pointed to Judy then himself, “are, have, and always will be a team.”

Judy smiled after she spit out her own toothpaste. “Ok Slick, if you're bound and determined to try to save my parents’ marriage, I won't stop you,” she said. “But if you get into trouble I expect you to call me for back up.”

“Oh yeah, then I’d never live that down, having to call my bunny wife to save me from her bunny family,” Nick said as he started to unbuckle his belt.

“Yeah well, they’re a lot less likely to call the cops if I’m the one that kicks their tails,” Judy said as she pulled her pajamas out of their bag. “You’re probably gonna want to keep the boxers on tonight Slick. I’m reasonably sure we’re going to end up with a visitor tonight.”     

“Then why did we put her in her bed if she's just going to end up here?” Nick asked.

Judy shrugged, “It's the way of these things Slick. Didn’t you ever crawl into bed with your mom?”

“Not really,” Nick said as he curled up around her in the center of the bed. “She’d need to be there for me to crawl in with. Mom worked a lot and then I ran off.”

“Well, that might explain why you like to snuggle so much,” Judy said as she tucked his tail up under her chin.

“Maybe,” Nick conceded as he slipped a pair of fingers up under her shirt. “I love you,” he said softly.

Judy smiled as she closed her eyes and reveled in the warm comfort of his arms.

Hours later Nick's eyes cracked open at the sound of the door to their room being opened. He could just make out Cotton’s form as she closed the door behind her quietly and padded across the open space between the bed and the door.  He could hear her feet scrabble slightly then get purchase as she hauled herself up onto the bed and slowly crawled toward Nick and Judy.

Nick lifted his arm, inviting the young bunny in, at which point she promptly wedged herself between him and Judy.  He bent his muzzle down and softly planted a kiss between her ears before nuzzling his snout back between Judy’s ears and falling back asleep.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Uncle Nick, pease may I come too?” Cotton asked as she looked up at him with her big brown eyes and batted her eyelashes at him.

Nick glanced up in time to see Hipp shake her head. He knelt down in front of the young bunny.  “I’m sorry, not this time Cotton Ball. But I’ll tell you what, how about while I'm gone you pick out a movie for us to watch after I get back, or maybe even a board game.”

“Ok…” Cotton said as she looked down.

“Hey, I won't be long, I promise,” Nick said.

“You promise?” Cotton said as she looked up at him and wiped at her eyes with her paws.

“I promise, Cotton,” Nick said softly.

“Okay,” Cotton said, “Uncle Nick?”

“Yeah Cotton Ball?”

“I love you,” Cotton said before disappearing into the warren.

Nick sighed as he watched her go, his ears pinned back against his head.

“Come on Slick, you have another bunny to go see,” Judy said. “She’ll be ok, and I bet she comes running as soon as we get home.”

“Yeah, just wish we could’ve taken her with us,” Nick said as he turned and followed Judy and Hipp toward one of the SUV’s, Hipp’s bunny sized Zoobaru being too small for Nick.

“Sorry Nick, it’s just that Iris has never had guests before and I don’t want to overwhelm her,” Hipp explained as she got into the driver's seat of the SUV.  Nick slid in behind Judy, letting her have the front passenger seat while he took the rear passenger seat.

“I do understand,” Nick said, “I just like spending time with Cotton.”

Judy smiled, “He's already such a dad.”

“Dad…” Hipp said, sounding amazed, as she started the SUV’s engine. “Judy, are you pregnant? I didn't think a fox and bunny could…”

Judy blushed as Nick started to laugh in the back seat. “No, no I'm not pregnant, but we have started the process of adopting Cotton. I thought by now it would be common knowledge around the warren.”    

“Not that I’ve heard,” Hipp said, looking a bit surprised. “Maybe Mom is keeping a tight rein on the rumor mill? I did hear that Dad really stuck his foot in his mouth the day before yesterday with the social worker that was here.”

Judy nodded as Nick watched the fields pass by. “I called Mom yesterday morning when we got on the train. She sounded really upset, was even talking about going to see Mr. Greystone…”

“Really, the divorce attorney?” Hipp asked as she turned onto the main road heading into town. “That's not like Mom; typically they work everything out…”

Judy sighed, “I know; I can’t help but feel a little responsible.”

“You are not responsible for the reactions of other mammals Fluff,” Nick chimed in from the back.

“He’s right you know,” Hipp said. “If dad was a kit, I’d say he’s projecting his emotions in an unhealthy way. I doubt it has much if anything at all to do with you.”

“I dunno…” Judy said sounding skeptical. “Do you really think it's that easy?”

Hipp shrugged. “I’m just a kit behavioral and physical therapist. But if he was a kit?”

Judy looked thoughtful. “I haven't really spoken to Dad since Nick rescued Cotton from the well.” She sighed. “I’d thought maybe, just maybe, he would see Nick in a different light after that, and it looked like he had for a few days…”   

Hipp nodded, “I’ll be honest Jude, the idea of you marrying Nick took a bit of getting used to. But after getting to know him? I’m just glad you’re happy.”

Nick’s smile slowly went smug as he listened in from the back seat. “See Fluff, I told you your family would come around.”

“Well, it also helped that I was able to trade two cookies for a week off from the produce stand with Janice last night,” Hipp said as she pulled into the Woolverton’s driveway. “I have a week of free time; do you have any idea how rare that is?”  

“Ahhh yes, the plight of industrious rabbits with a sweet tooth.” Nick said. “I feel for ya DJ, I really do.”

“What, Mom has you working the stand as well as your job?” Judy asked.

“Not as big of a demand out here for my line of work as I thought there was,” Hipp answered as she parked the SUV. “Really, Iris and one other kit are my only clients, and that only pays so much.”

“You should move to the city,” Nick said off pawedly. “There’s plenty of demand for a behavioral specialist there.”

“You know this how?” Judy asked as she opened her door. “And don't you answer with ‘I know everyone’ Slick.”

“Well I do; barring that though, you would be surprised what kind of inquiries are made to Daisy,” Nick answered.    

“Daisy?” Hipp asked.

“My business partner,” Nick answered. “Anything about this kit I should know?”

“Nothing more than I told you last night,” Hipp answered. “Just remember, she really doesn’t like loud noises.”

“No loud noises, got it.” Nick said.

Judy smiled as she walked beside him up the walkway. “It's been years since I’ve been here. I think the last time I was here was the summer of high school graduation.”

“I bet you were the valedictorian,” Nick commented.

“No, I was salutatorian; Sharla beat me,” Judy answered.

Hipp rang the doorbell and looked over at Nick and Judy as they waited. Nick wore a dark blue button up shirt with a purple tie and a pair a khakis. His tail was draped along Judy’s hips. Judy wore a blue flannel shirt and faded blue jeans. Both were relaxed in each others company. Nick's ears rotated toward the door seconds before it opened.

“Ahhh Hipp and Judy,” Mrs. Woolverton greeted each of them warmly in turn. “And you must be Nicholas. Please do come in.”  

“Please ma’am, call me Nick,” Nick said with a smile on his face, being careful to hide his teeth behind his lips. “Only my mom called me Nicholas, and that was when I was in trouble.”

Mrs. Woolverton chuckled a little bit. “If you were anything like the little tod we had last year, then I'm sure you were in trouble often enough,” Mrs. Woolverton smiled. “How he got pink dye in Greg’s wool shampoo I have no idea, but Greg was pink for weeks after that.”

Nick smiled at the thought.

“Now, I know you’re not here to see little ole me,” Mrs. Woolverton said. “Hipp dear, how do you want to do this? Would you like to bring Iris out here or take them back to her room?”

“I think taking them back to her room would be the better idea,” Hipp said, “Let her meet them in the space that she's most comfortable in.”

“I figured as much, but wanted to put out the offer anyway,” Mrs Woolverton explained. “Judy dear, she’s in Sharla’s old room.”

Judy nodded but followed Hipp anyway as she walked beside Nick down the hall. She looked around at the house and smiled. The place doesn’t seem to have changed a bit, Memories flashed rapid fire of school projects and playing with both Bobby and Sharla.

“Will you two wait here please?” Hipp asked just outside of Iris’s door. “I want to make sure she's in a good frame of mind before springing visitors on her,” she explained.

Nick nodded and leaned against the wall. “Being back here must bring back some memories, eh Carrots?” he asked.

“Yeah it does, mostly good ones at that. The Woolverton’s place was pretty much a second home of mine during my childhood,” Judy explained.

“Ok you two, come on in,” Hipp said from inside the doorway.  

Nick walked into the room, unsure of what to expect. The little white bunny in a pink dress sitting in the corner behind a blanket wall was not fully what he’d expected. He cocked his head to one side as he stepped aside for Judy. He smiled at the bunny, being very careful not to show his teeth. “Hello there Snowball. I hear you wanted to meet with us,” he said kindly.

Iris blinked at him with her large blue eyes, her nose twitching slightly. “Hello,” she said softly, and looked around, confused. “Where’s a snowball? I thought all the snow had melted.”

“You’ll have to forgive Nick,” Judy said. “He gives everyone he meets a nickname,” she explained. “What's your name?”

Iris looked up at them, “I’m Iris now,” she answered. “Before I came here, I was called Stew.”

Nick glanced at Judy, who looked at Iris with wide eyes. “Who on earth would call you Stew?”

“The bad male that died.” Iris glanced at Hipp as she cleared her throat. “I’m not supposed to be happy he died though.”

“Iris, what are we supposed to invite guests to do?” Hipp prodded.

“Oh right,” Iris said shyly, “Would you please sit with me? I'm reading Robin Hood. Well, I've already read it, but I'm rereading the part where Robin saves everyone, as its my favorite part.”

“I really enjoyed that part as well,” Nick said as he sat down on the floor beside Hipp,. “Though I have to say my favorite part was the archery contest.”

“Nick read the story to Hipp’s and my siblings not too long ago,” Judy said as she sat down beside Nick, his tail draped in her lap.

Iris looked at Judy’s paws stroking Nick's tail absentmindedly. “I was told it's rude to touch another mammals tail without permission,” she said matter of factly.

“It is very rude,” Nick confirmed. “But Carrots can touch my tail whenever she wants because we’re married,” he said. “Plus, foxes wrap their most prized mammals up in their tails. It’s like telling them that they’re special enough to share our source of warmth with.”

“Carrots?” Iris asked as she looked at Judy.

“Yes, it’s one of Nick’s nicknames for me,” Judy said.

Iris nodded. “Like Snowball?” she asked.

“Exactly,” Nick said.

“I’m not supposed to tell you about the lock then,” Iris said, looking at Judy before she looked up at Nick. “You said not to tell Carrots.”

Nick grinned and started to chuckle. “It’s ok, she already knows.”

“Iris, I know it's Saturday, but perhaps you wouldn't mind taking a walk down the hall with Nick?” Hipp suggested. “Then maybe after we can get a picture of you two together.”

“A walk?” Nick asked.

“We are working on rehabilitating her legs by having her walk up and down the hall,” Hipp answered.

“Ahh, well then, I would love to take a walk with you Snowball, what do you say?” Nick asked as he stood up and held out his paw for Iris.

“Ok,” Iris said softly as she stood up and wrapped her paw around one of Nick's large fingers.

Judy watched as Iris led Nick out of the room by his paw. She could hear him talking to her as they made their way down the hall.

“You were right,” Hipp said softly as they left. “He is good with kits.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey Bonnie, can I have Stu’s old bottle of booze?” Nick asked as he carried in a new bottle of Jackrabbit Daniels and a bag from the grocery store in town. Judy followed behind him cursorily.

Bonnie looked up from her paperwork at Nick and raised an eyebrow. “Just what in Serendipity’s name do you want that for?” She asked him.

“I'm going to extend an olive branch to Stu and try to get him to open up to me in the time honored male bonding tradition of getting drunk,” Nick said truthfully.

“Now Nick, you don’t need to go and get yourself mixed up in my and Stu’s troubles…” Bonnie started.

Nick sighed as his ears plastered to the side of his head. “I know I don't need to Bonnie, but… well…you’re family, and honestly, I would like to include my father-in-law in that as well.”  He sighed. “You see the truth is, I like it here. I like how much you and several of the others have made me feel welcome. I like naps in front of the fireplace and kits conspiring to touch my tail.”

Bonnie smiled up at him as Judy stared up at him. Sweet peas and gravy! Judy thought to herself. He's being open about liking it here…

“Nick,” Bonnie said warmly, “I know you like it here and that won’t change no…”

“No Bonnie, it will be different, I can already feel it,” Nick said. “So please let me try.”

Bonnie smiled up at him as she thought about it. “All right,” she said after a moment. “Looks like my Jude may have rubbed off on you in more ways than one.”

Nick’s smile went lecherous. “Of that you can be certain, Bonnie.”

Judy’s inner ears went scarlet as she slugged him in the arm. “NICK!” she hissed at him.

“What, Jude?” Bonnie asked. “I just meant that he’s trying, and you’ve always been the trier of the family.”  She sighed as she got up. “I'll be right back with that bottle Nick.”

Nick looked down at Judy as he rubbed his arm and waited. His arm smarted where she’d hit him.

“That is not what she meant…” Judy said as she thumped her foot against the floor.

“You have though,” Nick said softly. “I don't mean just he sex either; that is amazing in its own right. But you have continually made me want to try to be better.” Nick shrugged. “Here I am. about to extend an olive branch to my speciest father-in-law who hates my guts. Asked me a year ago and I would have laughed, but now?”  

Judy’s foot stopped as she looked up at him.

Nick shrugged as Bonnie reentered the room. “Here you go,” she said as she handed him a half full bottle.

Nick grinned as he took the bottle. “Thank you, Bonnie.”

“No, thank you,” Bonnie said. “And good luck.”

Nick grinned smugly as he walked back toward their room.

“Now Nick, just how do you expect to do this and keep your promise to Cotton?” Judy asked. “If you get sloshed you won't be able to do anything with her.”

“Oh ye of little faith, Carrots.” Nick said smugly.

“Need I remind you that my dad is a country bunny?” Judy asked.

“You have mentioned this, yes,” Nick answered as they entered their room and he closed the door behind them.

“Then just how…” Judy started to ask as Nick took down a glass from above the sink in their room’s small kitchenette. She watched as he poured some of the half full bottle into the glass then started to pour the rest down the sink. Nick leaned against the rabbit sized counter and the bottle glubbed and gurgled, emptying its contents down the drain.

“Personally, I can't stand alcohol.” Nick commented as he waited. “Lowers inhibitions and loosens tongues sure. It can be useful for that.” He shook his head. “But the stuff can destroy lives Fluff, and it’s legal…” He sighed as the last of the bottle emptied down the drain.

Judy blinked as Nick pulled out a bottle of apple juice and grinned. “You have a plan,” she said as she looked from the bottle of apple juice to him.

“That I do Fluff,” Nick said as he slowly poured the bottle of apple juice into the Jackrabbit Daniels bottle. “Most mammals will only see what they want to see. Appear to be a mostly sloshed fox, and guess what? I'm a mostly sloshed fox.”  

“So you bought a second bottle for dad?” Judy asked as she pieced his plan together.

“Because who in their right mind would take an unsealed bottle from a sneaky fox?” Nick asked.

Judy smiled at him. “I have to say that is pretty Slick, Nick.”

“Oh but I'm not done,” Nick grinned as he picked up the glass of liquor, took a sip of it, and swished it around in his mouth before spitting it back out into the sink. He dunked his finger tips in it and ran them along and over his muzzle. The smell of alcohol almost drowned out everything else, but it helped seal the illusion.    
   
Nick stumbled down the back porch steps a few minutes later with both bottles in his paws and two red plastic solo cups. The warm sun of the late afternoon warmed his fur slightly as he stumbled across the shadow laced, well maintained lawn toward the barn.

“Stu!” Nick called as he stumbled in through one of the open doors of the tractor barn. “Come on out rabbit, we are celebrating!” Nick hiccuped slightly as he looked around the barn.

The barn was a mess of various projects, tractors in various states of repair or disrepair depending on how you looked at them. Stripped down muscle cars and pickup trucks in different stages of restoration. The concrete slabs waiting to be moved out to the wells took up one full corner.

“Stu!” Nick called as he set eyes on his father-in-law. “There’s the rabbit of the hour!”

Stu looked up, surprised to see Nick, and glanced at his sons.

“I think he's lost his marbles, Pa.,” said one of the bucks.

“Na Kenny, he's just drunk,” Stu said lamely, and shook his head.

Nick gave Stu a toothy grin as he stumbled across the barn and around the various projects, “accidentally” kicking tools and parts this way and that. “Come on Stu, let's sit down and talk. I even brought yous a gift!”

“Don’t think you have anything that I would want fox; why don't you just get on back to the warren now, ya hear?” Stu said firmly.

“Now don't be like that Stu!” Nick said, slurring the word “Stu” to sound like “Stew”. “I’ve been cooped up with the ladies and just wanted to come out for some masculine company,” He explained. “Besides, I brought ya a gift, see?” Nick held out the sealed bottle of Jackrabbit Daniels to Stu. “See, it even still has the factory seal on it, and besides we’re celebrating Stu!”

Stu looked from the sealed bottle to Nick's seemingly glassed over green eyes. The smell of liquor rolled off of the fox's muzzle.

“Want us to throw him out, Pa?” Kenny asked.

Stu looked back to the sealed bottle. “Now boys, let's not be so hasty,” he said. “Just what are we celebrating?” he asked.

“Why, it's your bachelor party!” Nick explained as he pushed the bottle into Stu's paws and popped a red solo cup on top of it. “Or is that becoming a bachelor?” He shrugged. “I dunno, seemed like a good reason to buy ya a bottle though…”

“Now just what are you going on about?” Stu asked as he broke the seal on the bottle of Jackrabbit Daniels. “I don't know nothing about becoming no bachelor.”

“Didn’t you hear?” Nick asked and shook his head. “The way Judy made it sound was if you whisper a secret in this place you'll get it told back to you five minutes later.”

“Well in case ya haven't noticed fox, I've been banished out here because of you!” Stu exclaimed as he poured some of the liquor into the cup.

“Just how did I manage that?” Nick asked, “I only got here yesterday afternoon.”

“You pulled your police strings and sent a fox social worker out here the day before yesterday, and she sent a court order saying I'm not to be in the same domicile as Cotton!” Stu told him.

Nick poured some of the amber liquid from his bottle into his cup and took a sip. “That was down right sneaky of me,” he commented. “I guess that explains something though.”

“Darn straight it was!” Stu said as he thumped down into a lawn chair and took a long swig of his drink. “Just what does it explain?”

“Why Bonnie made an appointment with some lawyer in the morning,” Nick explained.

“Lawyer?” Stu asked as he took another sip.

“Yeah, a Greyrock? Or was it Greyfur?” Nick asked. “It was Grey something or another,” he said, waving his cup about as he sat down in a lawn chair across from Stu.

Stu swallowed and choked slightly on his drink. “Greystone?” he choked out between coughs.

“Yeah!” Nick exclaimed.”That's it! Judy told me what he handles and here we are now having a party!”

“Well fluff me,” Stu said into his cup as he drained it.

“Sorry Stu, you’re not my type,” Nick said as he poured more liquid into his cup.

Stu looked down into his cup and poured more liquor into it.

Nick took a sip of his and watched the rabbit. “So tell me, Stu.” Nick still slurred the word Stu into Stew. “How many years have you been married?”

“Almost 30,” Stu mumbled, and took another swig of his drink.

“Wow 30 years?” Nick asked, and smiled at Stu. The shadows of the barn darkened the places the fluorescent lights failed to light. “That's life goals right there. I can barely believe Judy has been at my side for six months let alone another three decades. I hope to be that blessed.”

“It has been a blessing,” Stu admitted taking another sip. “The day she married me was the best day of my life.”

“You know, when I first met you just before the Gazelle concert ,I was nervous,” Nick admitted.

“Nervous?” Stu asked.

Nick nodded and took another sip. “Yeah, nervous. I mean, you raised a fantastic mammal Stu, and meeting the parents of that fantastic mammal?” He shook his head. “That was a little nerve racking; I mean, for her to be that fantastic you’d have to be too, right?”

Stu shook his head, “I had nothing to do with the way Jude turned out.”

Nick looked at Stu for a few moments. “That’s where you're wrong. You see the look you gave me when I first entered here?” He asked as he sat his cup down on the floor and leaned forward. “That was compassion; you could have had your boys beat me senseless and throw me out.”

“Wouldn’t have been right…” Stu said.

Nick smiled slightly. “So tell me Stu, why are you really out here?”

Stu looked down into his cup. “I…” Nick watched as Stu took another sip of his drink to gather his thoughts. “It finally hit me; she loved you all along when you got shot,” Stu said as he looked down into his drink. “The worry, the way she looked when she talked about you. She didn’t look like that when she talked about Jack.”

Nick fought down the urge to growl at the mention of Jack.

“It made me angry, not at Jude or you, but at myself,” Stu admitted. “I pushed her so hard into settling. It just made me angry, so angry… And then it got me thinking about what ifs. If I was wrong about you, then maybe I was wrong about other things, and if so what have I done to my kits?”

“What ifs are dangerous things,” Nick admitted.

“And then I missed your wedding,” Stu admitted. “That hurt me more than I thought it would, and that just started it all over again.”

Nick nodded as he listened.

“And after you went down that blasted well?” Stu added. “Both Cotton and Jude looked at you like you was some hero and I felt replaced, like I wasn't even needed anymore…”  Stu’s eyes started to tear up. “And now? Now I'm gonna lose Bon as well.”

“Stu?” Bonnie said from one of the big roll up doors of the barn.

“Bon?” Stu said softly and swallowed hard. “Bon, I'm sorry.”

“Me too, Stu.” Bonnie said as she closed the distance between them.  
   
Nick stood up and slipped out of the tractor barn silently as he pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket and turned off MuzzleTime. He looked up to where Judy sat on the back porch waiting for him and smiled. The sun low on the horizon painted the backyard in pink and orange hues.

“That was pretty slick, Nick.” Judy said as he walked up to her.

“Thanks Fluff,” Nick said as he sat down on the step beside her. “But I need a shower before we do anything with Cotton.”


	14. Episode 14: All Along The Watchtower

# Episode 14: All Along The Watchtower

No reason to get excited  
The thief he kindly spoke  
There are many here among us  
Who feel that life is but a joke  
But, uh, but you and I, we've been through that  
And this is not our fate  
So let us stop talkin' falsely now  
The hour's getting late, hey  
All Along The Watchtower ~ Jimi Hendrix

“We need to talk, Stu,” Bonnie said as she sat down in the lawn chair that Nick had vacated just moments before.

Stu’s heart dropped at the four words no male ever wanted to hear. “Bon, I’m sorry, I know  I’ve been a tailhole but…”

“I know you are Stewart, but it's a little late for apologies,” Bonnie informed him. “While I believe you are sincere, it's a little late for that, at least as far as Cotton is concerned.”

“What do you mean by that?” Stu asked as he sat his cup down and swallowed nervously.

“Miss Swifttail was right, you need help; at least until Cotton’s adoption is finalized, you’re to stay out of the main warren,” Bonnie informed him. She sighed. “I’ll put a work order in with Sam to have one of the above ground large mammal quarters converted into a suite for you.”

“Adoption?” Stu asked. “But Bon, I thought we were to old…”

“We are Stu. Besides, she’s already picked her mother and father,” Bonnie said. “You need to understand this about Judith now. She is getting everything we always wanted for her, but she is doing it her own way.”

“I’m starting to understand that Bon, but what do Jude and Nick have to do with…” A look of understanding flashed across Stu’s face. “Oh…”

“Cotton wants a mother and father Stu,” Bonnie said softly. “Judith has already filled that role, and if it wasn't for us pushing her so hard to settle I'm almost certain she would have adopted her before going into the academy.”

“I…I understand,” Stu said softly and looked down. “I’m sorry Bon. I have made a mess of things haven't I?”

“I’ll be honest,” Bonnie said with a sigh. “While I still love you, you have said some very hurtful and disgusting things about one of our daughters. I think Julia was right, you need help.”

Stu nodded and swallowed hard. “If you want to leave…”

“I don’t,” Bonnie said flatly. “The adoption process will take a few months at the very least. I think we need to talk to Gid and find out who his therapist is.”

Stu sighed and looked up.

“If you get help, you can come back into the warren at the end of the adoption process,” Bonnie said sternly. “But if you miss even one appointment we are done Stu,” she said before getting up. “And you need to learn to control what falls out of your mouth.”

“I will Bon, I promise,” Stu said softly.

“Good night Stewart,” Bonnie said as she walked out of the barn.

“Good night.”  

______________________________________________________________________

Cotton leaned her body and head against Nick’s side. She fidgeted slightly with her paws as she watched the action on the screen. The movie adaptation of Robin Hood, while good, had not been quite as good as Uncle Nick reading the book to them.

 _I wonder what they’ll say,_ she thought to herself nervously as Robin shot targets on screen perfectly.

She stole a glance up at Uncle Nick, and then looked across his lap at Aunt Judy wrapped up in his tail. She placed her paw on top of Nick’s and looked at how much bigger it was than hers.  

She fidgeted again and Nick looked down at her.

“What's on your mind Cotton Ball?” Nick asked gently.

Cotton looked up at his kind green eyes and smiled. “Ummm, can I ask you and Aunt Judy a question?”

“Of course Cotton,” Judy answered as she paused the movie. “You can ask us anything.”

“Do you guys want kits?” Cotton asked. “I mean, Aunt Marsha and Uncle Terry already have kits and they got married after you….”

“Do we want kits Nick?” Judy asked him

“I see how it is Fluff, already having me answer the hard questions,” Nick said playfully. “I wouldn’t say we’re opposed to the idea of having kits,” he answered.

“Cotton, what made you ask if we want kits?” Judy asked.

“Well, I told gramma that I don't wanna be a Hopps anymore,” she said, getting more and more animated as she talked. “And I wanna be a Wilde, and I overheard her talking to Uncle Nick about adoption, and I want a mommy and a daddy.”

Nick's ears flattened as he glanced at Judy.

“Gramma told me to think long and hard about what I want, and I wanna have a mommy and daddy.” She took a deep breath and looked up at them. “Aunt Judy and Uncle Nick, will you be my mommy and daddy?”

Nick glanced at Judy, who looked at Cotton, unsure of what to say.

“Y…you don't have to if you don’t want to,” Cotton sniffed as she looked down and away so they couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes.

“Cotton,” Nick said softly. “Nothing would make Judy or I happier than to be your mommy and daddy.”

“I… I understand…” Then Cotton looked up suddenly, surprised. “Wait, really?”

“We’ve already started the process; we’re meeting with our lawyer again on Wednesday.” Judy said. “But it's going to be a long process, and for now at least you’ll have to stay here.”

“But you’ll be my mommy and daddy?” Cotton asked as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

“Yeah Cotton Ball, we’ll be your parents,” Nick said as he picked her up and placed her in his lap.

Cotton wrapped her small arms around as much of Nick as she could. The dam burst as the tears rolled freely down her face, and she pressed her face against Nick's chest.

Nick's ears pinned back as he held her against him and he looked down at Judy and smiled. Judy softly stroked the back of Cotton's head as she cried against Nick's chest and smiled up at him.

“Thank you,” Cotton said after a few moments.

“You’re welcome Cotton,” Nick said softly. “I love you.”

“We love you,” Judy added.

“I love you two too,” Cotton said softly.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Good morning, Jack.” The sweet voice of Kani Coello rang out in the room, waking Jack from his slumber. His dream quickly dissipated to the dull grey void of his waking moments.

“Good morning, Miss Coello,” Jack said groggily as he swung his good leg over the edge of the bed and waited for assistance with his prosthetic.  

“Please Jack, I have told you to call me Kani,” she told him as she moved around the large room.

“Well Miss Coello, I’d like to maintain some professionalism in our relationship,” Jack said coolly. He could hear her move about the room.

“Jack, I see you nude everyday; I think our professional relationship has flown out the window ,” Kani said as she helped Jack strap on his prosthetic leg.

“All the more reason to keep it professional when we can, Miss Coello,” Jack said.

“Here, lift up your feet,” Kani said as she helped him slide on a pair of slacks. “And if we were to relax our relationship, I think you would have much more fun Jack.”

“Be that as it may Miss Coello, I don’t think it would be appropriate at this time,” Jack said gently. “Besides, I am not in a place in my life right now where I can adequately have a more personal relationship,” he said as he wiggled his right leg and the GPS monitoring device attached to it.

“Are you sure it's because of your little anklet there, or because you’re still emotionally tied to Skye?” Kani asked gently as she helped him slip on a button up shirt and started to do the buttons.

“I do greatly appreciate you calling her by name and not by her species, Miss Coello,” Jack said as she finished buttoning his shirt and helped him stand shakily on his legs.

“I aim to please, Mr. Savage,” Kani said as she buttoned his pants.

“I’m sure you do Miss, Coello, I'm sure you do,” Jack said as he let her lead him to the dining room.

“Now, it's still early for the sun to be on this side of the building so what do you want to do this morning?” Kani asked him.

“Some breakfast would be nice,” Jack commented as he was sat down into a chair at the dining room table. “Also my pain management please.”

“Your leg still bothering you?” Kani asked.

“And my chest,” Jack added. “The claw marks are deep.”

“Dr. Pawson said that the leg would bother you; maybe we need to bring up the chest just in case there is further damage that they’re not aware of,” Kani said as she made her way into the kitchen.

“Perhaps,” Jack said as he turned his head away. _The claw marks that I speak of have nothing to do with Nick_ , he thought to himself as the memory of Skye's deep green eyes flashed for an instant.

“You know, you never did answer my question,” Kani said as he sat listening to the sound of her making him breakfast.

“I’m sorry, what question did you ask?” Jack asked. “I’ve been lost in thought.”

“Is it your anklet or your attachment issues with Skye the reason you want nothing to do with me?” Kani asked.

“I wouldn’t say I want nothing to do with you Miss Coello; as a matter of fact I rely quite heavily on you, and I believe my mother is compensating you nicely for your troubles.”

“That's not what I meant and you know it,” Kani said as the sound of chopping vegetables paused briefly. “You’re a bunny Jack, you need touch.” She paused for a moment. “You know if it’s a tail issue I'm sure I can find something on Amazoon.”

“I know what I need Miss Coello, and if I find myself in need of that I shall let you know,” Jack said coolly.

“The offer stands Jack. I do understand that you need time,” Kani said as she brought over a plate of chopped vegetables and sat down at the table with him.

“No need to feed me Miss Coello; I am quite capable of doing it myself,” Jack said.

“I have some ranch dressing on this plate Jack, and the last time I let you feed yourself I ended up having to change both of our shirts. So let's cut back on the laundry a bit and let me help ok?” she said kindly.

Jack sighed and nodded. “Fine.”  

“You know, I can’t help but notice your rather sizable wine collection,” Kani commented.

“Yes; I used to enjoy a glass with Skye in the evening,” Jack said after he swallowed a piece of cucumber. “If you would like a glass in the evening feel free to help yourself after your duties are done.”

“Why thank you Jack, I just might do that,” Kani said as she put a small tomato in his mouth.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cotton hugged Nick's neck tighter. “Don’t go….” she whispered into his neck. “Pweas?”

“I’m sorry Cotton Ball, I have to go,” Nick said, standing outside the train station once again. “Besides you remember who Judy and I have to go see on Wednesday right?”

Cotton nodded. “The law lady?”

“Our lawyer, yes,” Judy corrected softly.

“And then we can be a family?” Cotton asked as she pulled her face away from Nick neck.

“Sweetheart, we’re already a family,” Nick said as he pressed the tip of his paw pad against Cotton's nose.

“But….” she started.

“I know what you mean, and it'll happen; you just have to be patient,” Nick said.

“Your pawmiss?” Cotton asked.

“I do,” Nick answered.

Judy smiled at Cotton. “You got a Nick Wilde promise, and they’re just as good as Nick Wilde favors. You know why?”

Cotton shook her head.

“Because when Nick gives a favor, it’s like he promises to get that thing done,” Judy explained. “He gave you his promise that we’ll be a family, so it will happen.”

Cotton looked up at Nick with her big brown eyes. “Really?”

Nick nodded. “I’ll move heaven and earth before I break a promise.”

“Excuse us, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde?” Nick and Judy turned to see Mrs. Woolverton trailed by Hipp and Iris.

“Hello Mrs. Woolverton,” Judy greeted the sheep.

“Who’s that bunny?” Cotton asked looking at Iris.

“That is Iris, the other bunny that Nick rescued,” Judy explained.

“Is she nice?” Cotton asked,

“She is,” Nick confirmed.

“But she’s terribly shy,” Judy added. “And doesn't like loud noises.”

“How can we help you Mrs. Woolverton?” Nick asked.

“Oh, well you see, Iris was terribly upset that she feel asleep after your walk with her yesterday and she wanted to be able to see you off,” Mrs Woolverton explained.

“I see,” Nick said as he put Cotton down and walked over to Iris. “Hello Snowball, how are you today?” he asked as he knelt down to put himself more eye level with the kit.

“Well…” Iris said as she glanced at Cotton.

“Iris, this is my….” Nick looked down at Cotton and smiled. “Daughter, Cotton. Cotton this is Iris, the bunny that I went and met with yesterday.”

“Hi,” Cotton said softly.

“Ummm, hi,” Iris said before looking back up at Nick. “Ummmm, I’m sorry for falling asleep….” she said nervously, glancing behind her as a truck rumbled down the street.

“It’s ok Snowball, I get tired when Judy makes me work out too, so I understand,” Nick said kindly.

Iris glanced at Cotton nervously before she looked up at Nick. “Ummm, will you come back?” she asked.

Nick thought about it for a moment. “Would you like me to?” he asked.

“Please?” Iris asked.

“I can do that Snowball,” Nick smiled and added, “But you need to do something for me.”

Iris rubbed the bottom of her left foot nervously across the top right. “Ummm, what's that?”

“I would like you to make a friend,” Nick said warmly.

“A friend?” Iris asked.

“Yeah a friend, you know, a playmate….” Nick prompted.

“Oh, oh, oh, can I be your friend Iris?” Cotton asked.

“I think it's great idea,” Hipp said. “Iris, you could use some friends, and Cotton would make a great friend.”

Iris looked up at Hipp wide eyed before nodding. “Ok,” she said softly.

“YAY!” Cotton yelled, causing Iris the shirk back a bit. “Oh, sorry,” she said, a little more subdued.

Judy shook her head and looked at her mom. “There he goes, already setting her up on playdates.”

“There there dear, I told you he would make an excellent father,” Bonnie said smiling.

Nick smiled down at the little bunnies.

“Now arriving, the Bunnyburrow express with service to Zootopia,” came the announcement over the loudspeaker.

“Ok Nick, you need to say your goodbyes; we have a train to catch,” Judy called to him.

“Aww, does he have to?” Cotton called to Judy.

“Yeah Carrots, do I have to?” Nick asked with a grin on his face.

“Yes, we still have a job to do, ya big oaf,” Judy called

“Ok Carrots, I'm coming,” Nick called as he knelt down and hugged Cotton. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

“I love you,” Cotton said as she squeezed his neck with her small arms.

“I love you too,” Nick said as he let her go, then looked to Iris, who watched with curiosity. “I’ll visit you soon Iris. You take care and keep up on your walks, ok?”

“Ok….” She fidgeted and looked nervous before she wrapped her arms around his neck as well. “Thank you…” she whispered just loud enough for him to hear it. “Thank you for getting me out.”  

“You’re welcome,” Nick answered before giving her a soft hug as well.

“What did you think of her?” Judy asked sometime after the train had pulled away from the station and Nick had settled in his seat.

“Of who?” Nick asked as he looked down at Judy. “Iris?”

“Yeah, Iris,” Judy answered, and pushed him slightly. “I mean you set Cotton up to be her friend.”

Nick shrugged. “She's a little awkward, but if what DJ suspects is correct then I can't say I blame her any.”

Judy nodded. “Poor kit. No one deserves to grow up in a cage in the dark like that.”

Nick sighed. “I told DJ that if she needed anything that the state won't pay for to let me know.”

Judy looked up at him surprised. “Nick, that’s…”

“What?” Nick asked as he looked down at her. “That kit needs all the help she can get, and we both know how cheap the state can be.”

“Yeah, but…” She shook her head.

“But what Carrots?” Nick asked as he pulled her close to him.

“I’m proud of you,” she said after a moment, and snuggled into his side for the long train ride back to the city.

“Because I'm doing the right thing?” Nick asked. “Carrots, almost all canines have a saying for this.”

“Oh?” Judy asked.

“Yeah, the fox version of it is you are forever responsible for that which you have tamed,” Nick quoted. “Now I'm not saying I've tamed her, but I feel….” He paused as he thought. “Invested in her well being enough to make the offer.”

“Wow, that's pretty deep,” Judy said as she looked thoughtful. “Is that a teaching of Karma?”

“It is,” Nick confirmed. “It’s meant to remind us of the vows and promises that we give. For Karma is always watching, and we don’t know how she balances her scales. But she returns every good deed and every bad deed three fold.”

“I didn’t think you were overly religious,”  Judy said.

“I wouldn't say I am. But I have seen Karma work.” Nick sighed. “I sometimes think that Martin injecting me with Nighthowler was Karma paying me back for some slight I did.”

Judy’s ears folded down her back. “Nick, I think you’ve been coping well.”

Nick took a deep breath and nodded, his ears folding back. “I think it just makes certain things harder.”

“Like what?” Judy asked.

Nick fidgeted with his paws and looked down into her eyes. “Like leaving our kit,” he said softly.

Judy stood up in the seat and looked him in the eyes her paws softly cupped his cheeks. “Oh you silly fox,” she softly said before kissing his lips.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy sighed as they stepped through the door of their apartment. The late afternoon sun streamed in through the large windows and she collapsed onto the couch. “What do you want to do for dinner, Slick?” she called as Nick carried their bag down the hall to their room.

“Lets order in; I don't know about you but I’m famished and don't feel like cooking,” Nick called back to her.

“How does Lamar’s sound?” Judy asked.

“Lamar’s sounds good,” Nick said as he entered the living room and flopped down onto the couch beside her. “Do you want me to call or do you want to?” he asked as he leaned his head back.

Judy slowly stood and started to sauntered down the hall. She looked back over her shoulder at him and smiled. “Why don't you order and I’ll take a quick shower.”

“Ok Fluff, veggie alfredo?” Nick asked as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“Yep, I should be out before it gets here,” she said.

Judy smiled as she walked down the hall to their bedroom. The scene from the first time they had shared a meal in the apartment flashed into her head. Her inner ears flashed a deep scarlet red as she remembered pulling the back of the hideous green Hawaiian shirt up over her tail.  A sly smile slowly spread across her face as she stepped into the bedroom and walked over to their closet. It took her no time at all to find the green shirt and pull it down from the hanger and toss it onto the bed.

Twenty minutes later Judy stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing the last of the water from her fur with her towel. She grinned seeing the shirt again and thought to herself. _I can't believe I’m going to do this. I just hope the delivery mammal isn't early._

Picking up the shirt, she slipped it on. While this shirt is hideous, I do have rather fond memories of it, she thought to herself, and smiled as she remembered when she and Nick had first met. _Sweet cheese and crackers he was a jerk,_ she thought as she did a few buttons on the shirt and looked at herself in the mirror.

The shirt was more of a short dress on her than anything. Even the short sleeves fells down to around her elbows. She took a moment to look herself over in the mirror. In some ways she felt ridiculous. _Like a flag on a conquered fortress,_ she heard Nick’s smug voice tell her.

Smiling, she padded her way back down the hall toward the living room. She looked at Nick, who lounged on the couch with his phone in paw. “Hey there, Slick,” she greeted him.

“Did somebunny have a nice shower?” he asked, looking up at her, and a slow smug smile slowly stretched across his muzzle.

“Did I?” Judy asked, and looked thoughtful, placing a finger on her chin. “It lacked something….” she waved a paw in his general direction. “Vulpine I suppose.”

Nick smiled. “Well, our food should be here any minute,” he said as she sat down beside him.

Judy grinned. “Do you have cash or do we need to pay with a debit card?”

“There’s cash in my wallet,” Nick said, motioning to where it laid on the coffee table.

Judy smiled as there was a knock at their door. “Here Slick, allow me to get that,” she said as she stood and bent over at the waist, her tail wiggling slightly underneath the shirt as she picked up his wallet and took out the bills.

Nick's eyes were glued to his wife's hips. The sway of them captivated him as she walked across the living room toward the door. Her paws slowly lifted the hem of it until the back was lifted up and over her tail. Her tail and the curve of her hips held the hem up as she opened the door.

Nick grinned and got up and silently walked across the living room floor. His eyes caught those of the teenage deer delivery mammal.

“Keep the change,” Judy said as Nick growled low in his throat, his paw pushing the door shut. Judy’s nose twitched as her inner ears burned scarlet. She could feel his warm breath wash over the top of her head.

“I happen to remember the first time we ordered Lamar's from here,” Nick said quietly.

“I had hoped you would,” Judy said, her paws gripping the pizza box as she felt one of his paws slide up the back of her right thigh. She took a deep shaky breath as his claws extended and he squeezed the cheek of her ass, the tips of his claws pressed firmly against her.

Judy watched as his other paw came down off of the door and snaked around her front. She let out a slightly startled squeak as he picked her up and carried both her and their pizza toward the kitchen. She swallowed nervously as she tilted her head back and looked up at the underside of his muzzle. She could see the slight smile curving the sides of his muzzle upward.

Nick pressed her against the side of the island and gently took the pizza box from her paws and sat it off to the side. His paw gripped the back of her neck and pressed her forward, bending her gently over the island as his hips pressed forward against the curve of her ass.

He slowly drew up the hem of the shirt, exposing more and more of the soft grey fur of her back. He could feel the way her tail twitched enticingly against his slowly hardening foxhood through his pants.

Judy looked back over her shoulder as she shifted her hips from side to side. “See something you like more than food at the moment Slick?” She asked.

Nick growled low, his paws moving from her back down to her hips. Judy shifted her thighs apart in anticipation. She watched as he stepped back from her a little bit giving himself space to explore her body. She closed her eyes as he slowly and carefully slid a thumb down between the cheeks of her ass. She shivered slightly at the intimate touch of his paw pad on her.

Nick smiled as he gently let his thumb travel up and down her slit. He pushed his thumb down as he parted the sensitive folds and pressed the pad of his thumb against her clit. He smiled as she moaned sensually while he slowly rubbed his thumb in soft slow circles over her clit. He slid the pad of his thumb slowly up to her entrance. Moving his thumb in a slow circle there he slowly moistened his thumb pad and slid it smoothly back down to her clit. Nick's other paw slowly slid from her hips to her back, his paw pad sliding over her soft fur.

Judy moaned and churred loudly, her stomach tightened and her legs shook from where they hung over the edge of the counter. Her eyes shot open as she felt him plant his paw in the middle of her back, his claws extended and pressed against the skin as his paw held her down against the counter.  She took a deep shaky breath, her abs tightening as Nick went back to massaging her clit. “Niiick….” she moaned throatily.

Nick smiled as he slid the pad of his thumb back up to her entrance teasingly, pressing the pad into her. “What is it you want?” he asked teasingly.  His smile grew larger as she mewed in protest, and her feet attempted to get purchase to lift her hips.

“Please…” she started, but ended in a low loud moan as Nick knelt behind her, his paw coming off of her back as he used both paws to spread the cheeks of her ass apart. His thumbs gently spread the lips of her pussy as his muzzle pressed against her. Her low moan started the second Nick's tongue found her clit and traced a path to her entrance.

The scent of excited bunny washed over his senses as he growled low, enjoying the unique taste of her. Her moans were music to his ears as he lapped away again and again from her clit to her entrance as she got nearer and nearer to her first release. Her thighs stiffened in his paws. He pulled his tongue back just as she started to wail at him and opened his jaws, pushing the lower between her closed thighs and trapping her tail between his fangs as he pushed his tongue into her heated sex.

“Sweet….” Judy stuttered as she moaned out her release, her body stiffening against the counter top, her paws grasping at the stone work as her short blunt claws tried to find some purchase.  

Nick's ears trained on her as her body shuddered again and again as her abs tightened and released. Her breathing came in hitched gasps as his tongue twisted and turned deep inside of her. His paws kept ahold of the cheeks of her ass and squeezed them firmly.

Judy’s body slowly relaxed as her breathing evened out. “Oh gods Nick…..” she moaned as he slowly pulled his tongue from her and grinned. One of her ears laid flopped over her face as she breathed hard; the other laid skewed out to the side.  She whimpered as his paws let go of her hips and nipped her softly on the right cheek of her ass.

The soft metallic tinkling of his belt brought a smile to her face as her tail once again wiggled enticingly at him. Nick sighed as he finally freed his straining foxhood from his pants.

Judy wiggled her hips as she said teasingly, “What are you waiting for, foxy?” She held her breath as she felt the tapered tip of it slide down between the cheeks of her ass and press at the entrance of her sex. She churred softly as he slowly pressed into her.

Nick groaned softly as he pressed into her. The hot wet velvety grip of her body was snug and beckoned him deeper and deeper into her as he pressed forward with his hips. His paws gripped her hips as he slowly sheathed himself into her body.

Nick held still for a moment, allowing her time to adjust to him being inside of her. She nodded ever so slightly just before he slowly pulled back and thrust back into her. The way her body squeezed down onto his shaft with every stroke in caused him to groan.

“Mmmm, Nick…” Judy moaned softly as she pushed back with her paws, trying to meet him stroke for stroke.

Nick groaned loudly as his pace into her increased, the bulb of his knot pressed against the outer lips of sex with every thrust into her. His body tightened with his ache and need for her.

Judy moaned as she felt the familiar sensation start to wind itself through her body once again. She pushed back against the counter top, trying to force more of him into her.

Nick's paws tightened on her hips as he started to thrust harder and faster into her body. His eyes closed with his tongue lolled out to the side. His thrusts paused just for a second as he tried to press deeper into her, her body slowly starting to give.

“Niii…” whe started, just as his knot slipped into her and her body spasmed hard around him. Her body pulsed and throbbed around him as she was filled with his hot seed.

Nick kept thrusting his cock forward in short tight thrusts and let out a low growl as his seed flowed into her.

“I love you….” Nick groaned as he caught his breath.

“I love you too,” Judy huffed against the counter. “Who knew showing you a little tail would get such a rise out of you?”

Nick chuckled. “Only your tail Fluff,” he told her as his stomach rumbled.

“Too bad about the mess though….” Judy said as she wiggled her hips against him.

Nick groaned as he felt his foxhood pulse into her one more time. “Well, when you think you can sit up we can grab the pizza and head to the soaker tub.” He suggested.

“Think you can manage to carry me?” Judy asked skeptically as her body squeezed around him one more time.

Nick groaned. “Only if you can refrain from doing that for a few moments.”

 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Judy’s paw shot out of the red fur cocoon and groped around for her phone. Finally finding the infernal device, she silenced the alarm and pulled her paw back into the warmth provided by Nick's tail.

Nick groaned softly as he started to stir, his nose nestling between her ears as his warm breath washed over the top of her head. “Is it morning already?,” he asked quietly.

“Yes it’s morning, Nick,” Judy answered as she was pulled against his chest.

“I love you,” Nick said softly, his eyes slowly starting to open.

“I love you too,” Judy said as she rolled over and buried her face into his chest. “If I haven’t said it before I'll say it now. Thank you for what you did for my parents.”

Nick kissed her between the ears. “You’re welcome. They still have a ways to go, though.”

“Yeah, but you opened the door.” Judy’s arms tightened around him.

Nick's paw softly ran down her ears. “Maybe I did, but I just wanted to help our family,” he answered softly.

“Our family?” Judy asked looking up at him surprised.

“Yeah well, I may have married you, but I got several hundred bunnies as extended family,” Nick stretched his limbs as he got ready to get up.

Judy smiled at him. “You don't know what it means to me that you feel they are family too.” She churred slightly at the feel of his claws raking gently through the fur of her lower back.

“I like having a family and I’m looking forward to when we bring Cotton home,” Nick said.

“I know you are, Slick.” She stretched and sat up in the bed. “But we need to get up; we have a lot to do today and not all of it is work related.”

“Right; we have to collect our recommendation letters.”

“Right you are Slick,” Judy grinned at him as she slid out of bed. “So if you want to bring our kit home you need to get your fluffy tail out of bed.”

Nick groaned as he slid his legs over the side of the bed and sat up and stretched, which caused his back to pop in multiple places.

Judy sauntered her way toward the bathroom and looked back over her shoulder at him, her eyes half lidded. “Come on foxy. If you’re good, I'll even let you wash my back.”

Nick smiled smugly as he stood and followed her into the bathroom.

Forty five minutes later the pair rode down the street in their department issued cruiser. Nick’s sunglasses perched on his face.

“Snarlbucks?” Judy asked.

Nick smiled. “Would love some Carrots; want me to order on the app?”

“Please,” Judy answered.

Nick pulled out his phone and opened the app. “Carrots, I need to talk to you about something,” he said as he started to order their morning drinks.

“What?” Judy asked as her ears fell.

“Hey, hey it’s not bad, ok?” Nick asked. “Oh geez… look, it’s not something you did, it’s what happened to you.”

Judy looked confused for a moment. “You mean the stress test?”

Nick nodded as he finished ordering their drinks. “Yeah, remember how you wanted to know if we could sue?”

Judy looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yeah, but I thought we were just going to drop it.”

“Well, I may have figured something out,” Nick replied. “I want to use it as leverage for the city to give Cornaton-Wilde Holdings the Weather Wall maintenance contract.”

“Why?” Judy asked seriously. “Aside from the obvious, that contract being worth a lot of money.”

Nick smiled at her. “Cuppaw is in fire sale mode; I don't know why but they seem to be pulling out of the city altogether. Daisy already has bids on a few of their properties.  Now I can’t seem to blame them, with what we arrested Matthew Cuppaw for and his….” Nick paused as he thought about how to phrase what happened to Cuppaw. “Death in prison. But as a result, a lot of mammals will stand to lose their jobs.”

Judy looked over at him briefly as she pressed the control to roll the driver side window down. “So you want to save their jobs?”

“I do,” Nick answered. “But it’s more than just saving jobs, Fluff.”

Judy looked over at Nick as they pulled up to the drive through speaker. “Welcome to Snarlbucks, how may I help you?” came the nasally voice through the speaker.

“The order is under Wilde,” Nick said.

“We’re here to pick up an order for Wilde,” Judy said.

“Ok one moment; we will have that ready for you at the window,” came the voice.

“After expenses, Cuppaw last netted around five to seven million dollars,” he said. “But it's not just about the money, Fluff. Maintenance work is thankless, grueling work. But it’s one of the few ways….” Again Nick paused as he searched for how to phrase his thoughts. “Disenfranchised mammals can make an honest living.”

Judy’s eyes got wide as she stared at Nick. Holy mother of blueberries, she thought to herself. _“I know dear, that you always wanted to make the world a better place,”_ she heard her mother's voice from Christmas. _“Did you ever think there might be more than one way to do that?”_ she heard her mother ask her once again. She stared at Nick, having long since tuned him out. _What does the property management company do?_ She snapped back to the present when the car horn blared behind her and she pulled the cruiser up to the window.

“Here ya go ma’am; it was paid for online,” the male ocelot clerk told her as he handed her their drinks.

“Thank you,” Judy said as she handed Nick his coffee.

“Have a nice day,” the clerk said just before she pulled away.

“Wow Carrots, that must have really thrown you for a loop,” Nick commented as he took a sip of his coffee.

“Sorry Nick, it was just a lot to take in,” Judy said as she pulled the cruiser back into traffic. “It's not that I’m against the idea, just what would we do with all that money?”

Nick shrugged. “Most of it would get reinvested back into the company, and in most cases improvements for apartments and buildings.”

“So you can raise the rent?” Judy asked.

Nick shook his head. “We only raise the rent to match the inflation rate. No, it would be more to improve standards of living.”

“Like how?” Judy asked.

“Well, you remember last summer, how you were complaining that your apartment didn’t have air conditioning?” Nick reminded her.

“Oh sweet Serendipity that was horrid, and the stench of the sweating warthog down the hall…” Judy shuddered and looked over at him. “You said most but not all…”

“Very astute of you Carrots. Yes, we would stand to have a substantial payday,” Nick confirmed. “Well, Daisy and I. But since you’re my wife, by extension you as well.”

“How much?” Judy asked.

Nick shrugged. “My current pay structure is around 10% of profits. But the money isn't really the point.”

“Ok, if money isn’t really the point, then what is?” Judy asked.

“By investing not just in the city but in our employees we can effect change,” Nick answered.

Judy sighed and looked over at him as she pulled into the courthouse parking lot. “Ok Slick, if you think you can make it work and help mammals then let's move forward.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Good morning Mr. and Mrs Wilde. Did you enjoy your long weekend?” Amanda greeted them.

Nick shrugged. “It was more of a working weekend with community outreach.”

Judy rolled her eyes at Nick, “We went to Bunnyburrow and met with the kit Nick saved from Cuppaw’s basement,” she explained as Nick badged in through the security door.

“Mr. Fisher asked for you two to go see him as soon as you came in this morning,” Amanda informed them, clearly unsure how to respond to their weekend.

“I think you broke her,” Nick commented after the security door shut behind them.

“Then maybe she should be careful about what she asks.” Judy shrugged. “You really think she’s up to something?”

“I think she's a poorly trained and underpaid government spy that is in over her head,” Nick commented dryly as they walked down the hall.

“Really Slick?” Judy asked, amusement in her voice.

“Or maybe that's the plot to the latest Tomcat Cruise movie?” Nick asked as he looked thoughtful and shrugged.

Judy shook her head at her fox as she knocked on the door frame of Mr. Fishers open door. “You wished to see us this morning, sir?” she asked.

“Ahh, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde, please come on in.” Mr. Fisher greeted them from his desk. “Sit, please,” he said, motioning to the chair across from his desk.

Judy and Nick both sat in the chair across from the district attorney as he thumbed through folders on his desk until he found the one he was looking for.

“This is a plea deal for Wolfson,” Mr. Fisher started. “Only use it if you cannot get him to talk any other way. I will honor any deal that at a minimum puts him away for 10 years.” He looked first Judy and then Nick in the eyes. “We are fishing, and I will not settle for anything less than big fish. I want names and methods on how he sold information. Preferably, I want the name of his handler and I want them in a cell beside him before the week is over.”

“Understood,” Nick said.

Judy nodded. “We will head over to Precinct One and have him transferred to an interview room after dayshift receives the morning briefing,” Judy said.  

Nick nodded and added, “Would hate to have one of the night shift guys get stuck watching him.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick slid his sunglasses into the inner pocket of his suit jacket after they entered the atrium of ZPD Precinct One.  He looked down at Judy, who had paused for a moment before walking toward the receptionist desk. As his eyes tracked back toward the other officers, he couldn't help but feel their judgmental eyes on them as they passed, or hear the momentary pauses in conversation. He couldn’t help but see the slight quiver of Judy’s ears as she fought to keep them up right.

“Good morning, Clawhauser,” Judy greeted the rather portly cheetah.

Clawhauser looked around and then down over the top of the desk at them. “Hey, good morning you two,” Clawhauser said slightly more subdued than normal. “And just how is ZPD’s most adorable couple?”

“Not too bad,” Nick said.

“We went to Bunnyburrow this weekend to see Cotton, and Nick got to meet with the kit he saved from Cuppaw’s basement,” Judy said.

“Ohhhh, how did that go?” Clawhauser asked.

“Awkward, honestly,” Nick said.

“Yeah, but I think it was made up for at the train station yesterday,” Judy said. “She came to the train station to ask Nick to come visit her again and to thank him for rescuing her.”

“Ohhh, did you get another photo?” Clawhauser asked.

“Oh I got something even better,” Judy grinned up at the portly cheetah. “I got video….” she said as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

“But she will only show it to you if you got our adoption recommendation done, Spots,” Nick interjected.

Judy looked up at Nick. “You do have it done, don't you Clawhauser?” she asked before turning a sly grin at Clawhauser.

“Oh yes, boy do I!” Clawhauser exclaimed as he searched around the desk for it, finally finding it under a box of doughnuts. He held onto the envelope, looking down at the bunny. “Now how do I know you'll hold up your end of the bargain?” He glanced at Nick. “I mean, you are married to sly influences.”

Nick started to laugh. “Sly influences…. Thanks Spots, I'll have to see if Chief Bogo will let me put that on my business card. Detective Nick Wilde, Sly Influences.”

Judy smiled up at Clawhauser as she unlocked her phone and pulled up the video. She pressed play just before turning it around and holding it up to their friend. Clawhauser bent his head down and watched on the smaller screen the interaction between Nick and Iris the day before.

Nick and Judy watched the cheetah’s face, as his joy was written clearly on it. “Ohhhh myyyy…” Clawhauser started, his chubby paws coming up under his multiple chins.

Nick reached up and snatched up the recommendation from where it had fallen on the receptionist desk.   

“That was soooo…. Cu…” Clawhauser got a panicked look on his face before mumbling, “Adorable.”

Judy smiled up at him and reached over and squeezed Nick's paw while Clawhauser finished the video.

“Unfortunately, we are here also on business,” Judy informed the cheetah. “We need to have Delgato moved to an interview room.”

Clawhauser deflated a little bit and handed her phone back to her. “Nasty business that; I think interview room two is free. I’ll get one of the day shift guys to move him there.”

“Thanks Spots,”  Nick said “Do you have access to his visitor sign in sheet?”

“Yeah,” Clawhauser started. “But I can tell you now, there isn't anyone other than his public defender on it.”

“Perfect,” Nick said with a sly smile. “Can I get a copy of it?”

“Sure,” Clawhauser said as he typed in his password and pulled up the visitor logs.

“Thanks Spots!” Nick called as they walked toward the interview room. “For both the recommendation and the work stuff.”

“How do you want to do this?” Judy asked.

“I could always just talk to him,” Nick offered. “I have a fairly high success rate in getting these mammals to do what we need to.”

“True,” Judy conceded. “But Delgato knows you and is aware that you have the gift of gab.”

Nick shrugged as he opened the door to interview room three for her. “I think I can get him to talk.”

“We both could go in there ya know,” Judy said.

Nick looked thoughtful for a moment as he looked through the one way glass and into the interview room., “Well then, let's do this the same way we do everything else.”

“Together?” Judy asked.

“Together,” Nick confirmed as an officer led Delgato into the interview room and cuffed him to the table. The wolf looked scruffy, like he’d hardly slept and had not been brushed in a week; the bright orange jumpsuit and muzzle did little to help the look. He seemingly stared at them through the one way glass of the mirror, as if he knew they were standing there looking at him.

Judy’s eyes hardened as she walked across the observation room to the door that led into the interview room proper. Nick pushed a chair over to the tripod mounted video camera and adjusted it to make sure Delgato was centered in the camera's lens. He then checked to make sure there was a memory card in it  before turning it on to record the interview.

Judy pushed the door open and waited for Nick as he hopped down off of the chair.

“Ahhh, look who it is, ZPD’s very own stuffed toys,” Delgato said as he laid eyes on them. “I’m surprised you can even walk Hopps, with you being rutted by a fox.”

“We are required by law to ask if you wish to have your attorney present for this interview,” Judy said as she climbed up onto the much-too-large seat across from Delgado.

“That guy is more worthless than the pair of you, so he's really not needed,” Delgato sneered at them as Nick climbed up into the chair besides Judy. “I do have to ask Wilde, what's it like getting the sloppy seconds of the department brass? I mean, if anyone else had pulled the crap you two have they would have lost their jobs.” He leaned back in his chair and started to cross his arms, but was brought up short by the paw cuffs looped around the metal bar running the width of the table.

Judy rolled her eyes; she could almost feel Nick tense beside her, the tip of his tail flicking slightly in her lap.

“I don't know Wolfy,” Nick said smoothly as he opened the folder they had brought in with them. “What's it like being cut from your pack?” he asked as he pulled out the rather blank visitor sign in sheet. “I mean, the only mammal to visit you in three days has been one overworked beaver public defender.”

“Your wife did seem rather nonchalant about us arresting you Thursday morning,” Judy said. “I would expect divorce papers soon.”

Delgato shrugged. “I’m already trading her in for a newer model anyway.”

“Ahhh yes, funded by your illicit activities for Martin Flannigan inside the ZPD,” Nick said. “Very clever hiding the money in the Cays. Too bad for you though; the DA has already filed paperwork with the state department to seize it.”

“Actually, I think we should be thanking you,” Judy said as she rifled through the paperwork in the folder. “I hear they are ear marking a large portion of that money to buy all the officers of the ZPD new body armor.”

“And maybe the rest will go toward funding the ZPD annual picnic,” Nick added. “That’ll be nice a day off, with cold beverages and grilled food.”

“So I'm wondering at this point, how long…. What was her name again?” Judy asked.

“Tabitha,” Nick supplied.

“Ahh yes, Tabitha, will stick around when she realizes her sugar wolf has run out of cash,” Judy said. “Not that you’ll really need to worry about that.”

“Nope, not with the list of felonies you’re being charged with,” Nick said as he picked up the list from the pile of paperwork. “Tampering with evidence, tampering with official records, accepting a bribe. But these two are my favorite, because once they get around the cell block, and trust me they will, you might as well be a dead mammal walking: Aiding and abetting kit trafficking, and aiding and abetting the sexual exploitation of a kit.”

“But Nick, you’re forgetting my personal favorite; that is just the icing on the cake,” Judy said, looking up at her fox before turning her attention back to Delgato. “Felony Tax Evasion.”

Nick nodded and grinned. “That would be your favorite, but too bad he’s not going to have some bunny pull him into a crazy escapade that will eventually get his name cleared.”

“True, a little hard to do that when your trapped in a cell,” Judy said.

“Being rutted by a polar bear,” Nick added.

“Well then, maybe you can give me tips and we can talk about it over coffee like a pair of girlfriends,” Delgato said sarcastically. “I understand the charges leveled against me, so what do you two want and what are you willing to give me to get it?”

“I wouldn’t say you’re in a very strong position to bargain with us,” Judy said, “I mean, we have access to your files, your account history, and we have the thumb drive with backups of the records you changed, which saved us a bunch of time, thank you.”

“Maybe we’re just here to savor the victory, kinda like when we got to watch Bellweather’s face go from victory to oh scat,” Nick said.

“Mmmm yes, watching her get fed a slice of humble pie served up by a fox and bunny,” Judy smiled. “That was something; besides, I really don't think you have anything.”

“Yep,” Nick said. “I doubt he really knows much of anything useful.”

“I know lots…” Delgato started.

“Now you’re just trying to sound desperate; you should have more respect for yourself than that,” Nick said.

“Yep, kinda like the kit that lost out on the last slice of chocolate cake,” Judy said, shaking her head.

“But just on the off chance, who was your handler?” Nick asked.

“Dunno what their name was,” Delgato said.

“See,” Judy said. “Doesn't know anything.”

“Right you are Carrots, total waste of our time here,” Nick said as he slid out of the chair.

Judy shook her head sadly as she started to get down as well. “Whelp have fun in General Population at the Trans Siberia State Penitentiary.”

“WAIT!” Delgato called to them just before they reached the exit.

Nick and Judy both turned and looked at the wolf.

“I don't know their name because we only contacted each other by email. I used my laptop at home for that,” Delgato said. “They went by the handle White Rabbit, but I'm not sure they were a rabbit at all.”

Nick nodded and glanced down at Judy, who looked up at him and nodded. “Who helped you tamper with evidence in the lockers?” she asked.

“Thomas Moran on graveyard shift. I only had to cover for him taking a cut of the drugs we removed,” Delgato said as he looked down at the table top.

“Anyone else in on it?” Nick asked.

Delgato sighed. “Katylin Moss in the DA’s office before she was fired, and Nigel Cunningham in Internal Affairs.” He looked up at them. “Now, I helped you and told you what you needed. How are you going to help me?”

“Help?” Nick asked.

Judy shrugged. “Never said anything about any help did you Nick?”

“Not that I can remember, no.” Nick answered.

“Oh come on!” Delgato exclaimed

“It's called a hustle sweetheart!” Judy called as they walked out through the door.

Nick turned and looked at Delgato before closing the door with a sly smile. “Boom.”

Judy looked through mirror at the stunned wolf. “Do you think we overdid it?”

Nick climbed up onto the chair and stopped the camera from recording. “Do I think that?” he asked. “No, no I do not,” he answered as he ejected the memory card.

“Well, regardless, some mammals are going to have some explaining to do,” Judy said.

“Wonder if any of them are going to end up as Delgato’s cell mates?” Nick asked.

“That might be a tad bit awkward,” Judy commented as Nick hopped down from the chair. “Do you think we can trust what he has to say?”

Nick shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not, but we do have him in a vice and he knows it.”

Judy sighed. “This is turning into a real witch hunt.”

Nick nodded. “This is what I was afraid of when we took this assignment.”

“I saw how some of the officers looked at us when we entered,” Judy said as she kept watch on Delgato for a moment longer. “This is going to be a real mess isn't it?”

“I’m afraid so,” Nick answered. “We should start pulling up information on the mammals he fingered.”

“Right Thomas Moran, Katylin Moss, and Nigel Cunningham,” Judy said as she flipped open her note book and made a few notes. She shot one last look at Delgato as another officer uncuffed him from the table and started to lead him out of the interview room.

“Well, one good thing came from this visit,” Nick said as he held the outer door open for Judy. “We got Ben’s recommendation.”

Judy smiled up at Nick. “That we did, and it only cost you a little bit of embarrassment,” she said as she pulled the envelope from behind the folder of evidence and documentation.

“Now we just need to get the others,” Nick said as he snatched the envelope from Judy's paw.

Judy smiled at him. “Yep, one step closer to you being a dad,” she said playfully as she hip checked him slightly.

Judy waved to Ben as they made their way to the garage entrance.

The garage itself was noisy but cool. The sound of distant turning wrenches and loud music could be heard as the ZPD mechanics worked on the various cruisers and other vehicles. The cool air carried an assortment of different scents.

Judy smiled up at Nick, who carried Ben’s recommendation letter as if it was one of the most important pieces of paperwork he had ever carried. She blinked as his body seemingly cued to something neither of them comprehended yet. His gait changed subtly and got more fluid as his tail poofed out, even though it was draped over her hips.

Nick’s nostrils flared as he picked up on a scent that didn't belong. It was subtle, but tinged with something he had problems processing. His eyes narrowed slightly as his ears rotated, trying desperately to gain more information. His eyes darted around, looking for the unseen threat as his hind brain screamed at him DANGER!

The sound finally came subtly; if he hadn't been straining for anything he would have missed it, or perhaps written it off as a sound of the mechanics working on something deeper in the garage. The low metallic click with the shuffling of hooves on concrete was all the warning he had.

“Nick wha…” Judy started as Nick's paw shot down with the envelope, crumpling it against her shoulder as he pushed her back and stepped forward. A high pitched squeal sounded with the charge.

“NICK!” Judy yelled as the blade flashed toward Nick's chest. She heard the ripping of cloth and a grunt and squeal of pain. Nick's lips pulled back, exposing the rows of long sharp pointed teeth. His claws extended as he kept himself between Judy and their attacker.

A squeal preceded the second sloppy charge; the knife in the swine’s hoof led the way as Nick side stepped out of the way and grabbed the extended forearm and pulled with all of his might. The swine’s trajectory changed slightly from straight at Judy to straight into the fender of the parked police cruiser to Judy's right.  

The sickening crunch of meat colliding with metal rung through out the garage as the swine impacted the fender of the cruiser. This caused the car alarm to begin blaring and the drivers side airbags to deploy with an explosion of glass and sound.

Nick rolled twice across the ground from where the sudden added momentum of the swine’s charge had thrown him. He came up on all fours, slightly disoriented when his eyes locked onto the swine that had attacked them. PROTECT HER! His instincts screamed, THREAT END IT! His lips pulled back in a sudden snarl as he leapt on top of the swine. His claws dug into the hide of the swine as he slammed the swine’s skull into the parked cruiser’s fender a second time.

“NICK!” Judy yelled, her taser in paw as he readied to slam the swine’s head a third time.  His head turned to regard her from where she’d taken cover across the parking aisle behind another cruiser, his eyes full vertical slits as the swine groaned in pain. “It's over,” she said gently as she watched him turn and regard the swine again, giving the swine a low threatening growl.  

Nick slowly got up off of the swine and backed way. His eyes caught the glint of the knife blade and he kicked it toward Judy, away from their assaulter. The pig laid still except for the slow rising and falling of his chest. “Are you ok?” Nick asked, his voice sounding closer to a growl than his normal smooth inflections. But she heard the worry in his voice even over the blare of the car alarm.

Judy slowly came out from behind her cover, her taser pointed squarely on the crumpled pig. Her eyes kept darting from the swine to Nick. Blood dripped slowly from Nick's left paw; he seemed unphased by it though, his glare locked onto the form of the pig. His lips would pull back momentarily in a snarl as he opened and closed his right paw.

“Are you ok?” she asked as she moved closer, her nose twitching at the coppery tang of blood that now permeated the greasy oily atmosphere of the maintenance and parking garage.

“I’m….” Nick started, before looking down at his slit open suit jacket and his blood soaked shirt. He shook his head and turned his attention more toward Judy than the swine; his right ear rotated toward the pig as he looked down at his bunny.

She looked physically unhurt, but worry and concern shone clearly in her eyes. He closed his eyes for a moment, the adrenaline of the attack wearing off and the ache in his shoulders starting to make itself known.

“Nick?” Judy asked, concern now showing in her voice as her attention moved from the pig to her fox. She glanced at the sliced hole in his suit jacket, making out the blood soaked fur underneath his jacket and shirt. The pattering of paws could be heard over the cruisers alarm.

“Wha… Wha… ohhh boy…..” Clawhauser huffed as he ran up and held up one one finger as he tried to catch his breath his paws on his knees.  

“Sweet cheese and crackers, Nick!” Judy exclaimed as she examined his wound. “You need to sit down.”

Nick looked back down at his wound and nodded slowly before sitting down on the cool concrete and looking toward the building entrance to see more officers coming through.

“He attacked us,” Judy said, motioning with her taser at the swine crumpled between the two cruisers. “We need medical assistance ASAP; Nick's been wounded.” Judy’s ears fell down. Bogo is going to be furious! She swallowed nervously, putting the thought out of her head for the moment.

One of the other officers grabbed their radio and started to call it in as she fully turned her attention to Nick as she holstered her taser. “Let me see,” she said gently as she started to peel back the blood stained fabric of his jacket and shirt. “I think you’re going to need stitches Slick, but you'll be ok.

The envelope rustled slightly on the ground, drawing Nick’s attention, and his ears fell back against his head. Judy's eyes followed his to the crumpled and blood stained envelope. “Don’t worry about that; we’ll get Clawhauser to print us another,” she said gently as she applied pressure to his wound.

“Ju… Judy…” Clawhauser huffed. “That’s Nigel Cunningham from the Internal Affairs office….”


	15. Episode 15: The Squealing Pig

# Episode 15: The Squealing Pig

I’m still here with a fire burning, burning inside  
If you want to burn, light it up, light up, let it rise  
When you’re high who ya flying for  
When you ride who ya riding for  
When you toast who ya drinking for  
When you play, gotta deal with the devil  
Deal With The Devil ~ Pop Evil

Judy looked from Clawhauser to the swine between the police cruisers. A low growl escaped from Nick, causing Judy to turn her attention back to him. His eyes, still fully transitioned to vertical slits, were once again locked on Cunningham. She could feel his muscles tense under her paws.

“Nick,” she said softly, drawing her fox’s attention back to her. “He’s down and I’m safe; he’s no longer a threat.” Nick took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  

“What do you want to do for dinner tonight?” he asked after a few moments.

She frowned. “It's not even…”

“I know, but I need to think about something other than bacon bites over there,” Nick said.

“REPORT!” Bogo boomed over the blaring car alarm. “And someone turn off that blasted alarm!”

“Blop, blop!” the car alarm sounded as some mammal finally turned it off.

“Nick and I just finished questioning Delgato and were heading back to the DA’s office when Mr. Cunningham attacked us from between those cruisers.” Judy motioned behind her before placing her paw back on Nick's chest, adding pressure.  Cunningham groaned from where he lay.

“Clawhauser! Get EMTs on the way,” Bogo ordered. “Wolford! Cuff Cunningham to the rim of that cruiser so he doesn't try to escape and search him for any other weapons.”

“Pierogies,” Judy said softly so just Nick could hear. “I’d like pierogies tonight.”

Nick nodded. “We’ll need to stop at the store and pick up more potatoes and sour cream then.”

“How bad are you wounded, Wilde?” Bogo asked.

Nick looked down at his ruined jacket and shirt, Judy’s otherwise grey paws were stained red with his blood. “Honestly, hurts less than getting shot but more than stubbing your toe.”

“Well if he's snarking he can’t be hurt that badly,” Bogo commented.

Nick closed his eyes and took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. Judy could feel him starting to relax, though his eyes remained almost continually moving as they tracked sounds around them. His right paw kept flexing every time it opened, the claws on it extending with a subtle click.

“We can go to the store and get those things,” Judy said softly. “You know I’m ok, right?”

Nick nodded his head and held his paw closed, his tail wrapped around himself so that the tip of it rested in her lap.

Bogo eyed his two smallest officers before turning his gaze to Cunningham, snorting briefly. “Ho…. Mrs. Wilde, take your partner to the hospital. We’ll get your statements and work out what happened after he’s been tended to.

“I need some mammals to start pulling the dash cam footage of the patrol cars here, and the security cam footage as well,” Bogo ordered. He eyed the fox and bunny, who was helping the fox to his feet. “Wolford, go with the Wildes and make sure they don't run into any more trouble,” he ordered gruffly. “And Wilde, don't bleed all over one of my patrol cars!”

“Yes sir,” Wolf called as he moved to help Nick toward their cruiser.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy scrubbed her paws in the sink as they waited for the doctor to come to look at Nick. The ER treatment room that Nick was placed in was sized appropriately for them. The regular twenty-minute drive from Precinct One to Zootopia General had been significantly shortened by Wolford’s use of lights and sirens to get them here.

Nick had laid quietly on the gurney as a nurse had prepared his wound for stitches. The memory of Nick being dramatic about a three by two inch patch of fur being shaved off brought a smile to her face.

“Woe is me,” cried Nick. “My wife will leave me! My gorgeous fur now forever marred.”

“Oh hush,” Judy shot back, “Your tail is still intact, so I think your wife isn't going anywhere.”

Judy was brought out of her memories as the door opened.

“It would seem, Mr. Wilde, that you make the hospital staff nervous, which makes me the only one koalafied to treat you,” Dr. Treeroot said as he entered the room.

“Well Doc,” Nick started with a grin on his face. “Perhaps they need to do a bit more feasting on the tree of knowledge.”

Dr. Treeroot shook his head sadly. “I treed to tell them that as long as your wife was present, you were harmless. But alas, they diskoalafied themselves with their ignorance.”

Judy groaned with a smile on her face.

“Now, how have my two favorite patients been?” Dr. Treeroot asked. “I’ve been expecting to see you, but under better circumstances.”

“Favorite?” Judy asked.

“Oh yes; your insurance is quite good and you’re both agreeable,” Dr. Treeroot said as he walked over to the sink and started to wash his paws. “I do have the recommendation letter ready for you. I will say it brings me much joey that you’re adopting.”

“If I may ask, were you adopted?” Judy asked.

Dr. Treeroot smiled as he carefully put on a pair of latex gloves. “No I’m not adopted, but my profession allows me to see what some couples go through when they can’t have a little bundle of joey for themselves.”

“So you study reproduction as well, Doc?” Nick asked.

“Alas no, that is not my branch of the tree of knowledge to feast off of, but working in a hospital and in the ER, one sees more of the tragedies of life than one should,”  Dr. Treeroot said as he walked over to Nick. “Now let's take a look at this wound.”

Dr. Treeroot lifted the temporary bandage placed over the wound and started to study it. “Not too deep; doesn’t look like it hit anything vital. Seems you were more than a bit lucky mate; all you’re gonna need is a few stitches.”

Judy’s nose twitched as she watched the koala doctor uncover a tray of needles and things that he’d need to give Nick the stitches.

“You’ll both be happy to know that your blood work has come back normal, or in your case Mr. Wilde, as normal as can be expected,” Dr. Treeroot explained as he threaded a needle.

“Will I need to come back to have the stitches pulled out?” Nick asked.

“No, I’m going to use a biodegradable thread; it'll mostly dissolve in two weeks, and the rest can just be picked out,” Dr. Treeroot explained as he cleaned the wound one more time. “I’ll be giving you a prescription for some antibiotics, as well as giving you a tetanus booster shot.”

Nick grimaced at the thought of the large needle needed for the shot. “Now,” Dr. Treeroot continued as he picked up a smaller needle. “I'm going to give you a local anesthetic so I can stitch this up properly. It might make you a little drowsy, so I recommend you take the rest of the day to rest.”

Nick looked over at Judy, who nodded. “That shouldn't be a problem. I trust you’ll put in the paperwork?”

“I will for both of you, yes,” Dr. Treeroot answered as he gently injected Nick with the local anesthetic near the wound. “I trust that he got this defending you?”

Judy nodded. “He did, not that…”

“I don’t mean to imply anything by the question, Mrs. Wilde. As a matter of fact, I would rather be stitching him up than you,” Dr. Treeroot said bluntly. “Have you ever seen a tod whose mate is hurt in the ER?” He asked.

Judy shook her head.

“Just do me a favor and don’t try it out,” Dr. Treeroot said as he finished up the stitches. “It's not a pretty sight and sometimes requires sedatives.” He dropped the needle onto the tray and pulled off the gloves. “So, please tell me about the kit you're looking to adopt.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonnie rubbed her temples as she sat in her office. _Oh, Serendipity give me strength_ , she thought to herself. She sighed and looked over to the wall of pictures. Her eyes were drawn to the photo of Nick and Cotton on the train platform, taken just after the new year. _If you had asked me a year ago about the possibility of having a fox for a son in law…_ she thought to herself as she shook her head.

“Mom?” Hipp asked from the doorway, startling Bonnie out of her thoughts.

“Oh!” Bonnie said with a start. “Ummm, what is it dear?”

“I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to take Cotton with me to visit Iris today,” Hipp said.

“You sure that’s wise?” Bonnie asked. “Iris didn’t seem overly thrilled with the prospect of having a friend yesterday at the train station.”

Hipp shrugged. “I think it’ll be good for her. She needs more social interaction and Cotton is outgoing enough to more than likely succeed in breaking through Iris’s shell.”

“I understand that. What I mean dear is that in a few months Cotton will be moving to the city with Judy and Nick. What will that sudden loss do to Iris?” Bonnie asked.

Hipp nodded. “I see your point. But I still believe that it will be good for Iris to make a friend. Maybe after she’s friends with Cotton we could introduce her to others of the kerfluffle?”

Bonnie looked at Hipp thoughtfully. “And it has nothing to do with Nick's offer to help pay for anything Iris needs?”

“Mom!” Hipp exclaimed. “I would never take advantage of Nick’s offer.”

Bonnie’s face broke into a smile. “Good! It's about time at least one of my kits remembers the manners that they’ve been raised with.”

“Mom?” Hipp asked as she walked in and sat down on the couch. “Is everything ok?”

“I’m just tired is all; it's lonely with your father stuck out in the large mammal guest quarters,” Bonnie admitted, rubbing her temples once again.

Hipp frowned as she watched her mother; her nose twitched with concern. “Mom, you could always go join Dad in the….”

“Absolutely not!” Bonnie exclaimed. “I meant what I said; until your father gets the help he needs…”

“Ok, ok Mom, it was only a suggestion,” Hipp said as she looked thoughtful. “We’ll just need to figure something else out. Maybe the kits can loan you some plushies….”

Bonnie’s inner ears burned red with her embarrassment. “I’m sorry Hipp; I know you’re only trying to help.”

Hipp nodded. “We’ll figure something out Mom.Right now though I need to gather up Cotton and get going or we’ll be late.”

Bonnie nodded. “Don’t worry about me dear, I’m sure everything will work out.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chief Bogo glared at Nigel Cunningham through the one-way mirror. His hot breath would momentarily fog the mirror before it would clear once again giving him a clear view of the pig cuffed to the interview table in the room beyond. His scowl deepened as he watched the pig stare nervously at the door, as if he could feel the enraged entity just on the other side of it.

“Chief, ya sure ya want to question him?” Higgins asked.

Bogo’s glare shifted momentarily from the swine to the hippo’s reflection in the glass, causing Higgins to swallow nervously.

“Any word on Wilde’s condition?” Bogo asked gruffly.

“Hospital called; said he needs at least half a dozen stitches and the rest of the day as rest. He’ll be back on duty tomorrow,” Higgins reported.

Bogo gave a satisfied snort before he started to move toward the door of the interview room. Each of his heavy hoofsteps thudded like deep drums, pronouncing doom upon the swine that had angered him.

As the door handle rattled, Nigel's head lifted slightly and he promptly attempted to make himself as small as possible as the angry cape buffalo walked into the interview room. The gentle closing of the door rang loudly in the quiet of the room. Nigel's eyes tracked Chief Bogo as he made his way to the chair across from him and slowly started to pull it out. The sound of the chair’s metal legs dragging across the floor made it seem as if the chair was being tortured.

Chief Bogo sat down with a snort, his deep brown eyes locked onto the pale brown eyes of Nigel's. Moments passed in silence with the only sound being the rough snort of an exhale from Chief Bogo.

“Why?” Bogo asked, the word sounding as if it was being dragged out across gravel.

Nigel swallowed nervously. “The fox savagely attacked me…”

“Stop,” Bogo said gruffly. “Whatever lie you're going to tell me, stop right now.”

Nigel swallowed again and looked away. “I want my lawyer or union representative.”

Bogo snorted and stood up. “They will be contacted.” He walked over to the interview room door. “Keep in mind we have reviewed the footage of no less than 4 police cruisers and the security camera footage of the garage. Detective Wilde acted in defense of himself and his partner and mate. Your case is already sent to the DA for prosecution.”

Nigel sighed. “Wait….” he said just as Chief Bogo’s hoof touched the door handle.

“I would like a plea bargain,” Nigel said.  

“I advise you to wait for your lawyer,” Chief Bogo said, crossing his arms over his massive chest.

“I…I waive my right to legal counsel,” Nigel said.

“Fine. Why?” Bogo said gruffly.

“They found out,” Nigel said, glancing away. “I’ve been covering for Delgato and others. I am the one that’s been dealing with the DA’s complaints about corruption in the ZPD.”

“Names, I want names,” Chief Bogo all but growled.

“No, I saw how…the rabbit and fox treated Delgato; I want a deal in writing before I give up any more names,” Nigel said, a little more forcefully than he felt.

“Fine; you never answered why,” Bogo said.

Nigel swallowed. “My wife's dying Chief; I’ve been using the money to prolong her life as long as I can, hoping a cure could be found.” He took a deep breath. “And now I won't even get to be with her when she passes.”

Chief Bogo snorted. “We have insurance….”

“It’s SCAT Chief!” Nigel yelled at him. “They’ve denied our claims and now we’re out of savings. I’ve tried, oh how I’ve tried.” He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. “Is the fox ok?” he asked.

Chief Bogo snorted as he eyed the swine. “Detective Wilde needed some stitches but is otherwise ok.”

“I’m glad,” Nigel said, and sighed. “I didn’t…” He shook his head and looked up at the Chief. “I want a deal. I’ll tell you everything; Delgato was only brought on in the last eight or nine months.”

Chief Bogo stared at Nigel for a few moments before snorting and opening the door. _I’m going soft_ , he thought to himself. “Clawhauser!” he bellowed. “Get me the Wildes!”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick and Judy walked into the lobby of Precinct One. Nick wore a ZPD work out shirt and his black slacks from that morning. There were places where the fabric of the pants was darker than others. The pants would need to be trashed, but they were serviceable until he could get home and change.

“Nick you really should be at home resting,” Judy said concernedly.

“Relax, Fluff, I was stabbed not shot. You heard Spots; Chief wanted to see us ASAP.” Nick replied. “Besides, this wouldn't have been the first time.”

“Chief Bogo wants you two up in his office right away,” Clawhauser called out as soon as he spotted them coming through the doors.

Judy looked up at him surprised. “Uh, thanks, Clawhauser,” she said as she processed what Nick had told her. She frowned as they made their way to the elevators.

“Yes, Fluff,” Nick said quietly.

“Yes?” Judy asked. “I hadn’t even asked a question.”

“I'm surprised, with as much as your paws have been in my fur, that you haven't felt the scars,” Nick said quietly as he pressed the elevator call button.

Judy’s inner ears reddened. “Well, in my defense I’ve definitely had other things on my mind when my paws have been in your fur.”

“Not that I’m complaining Fluff; you have been very attentive,” Nick said as they stepped into the elevator.

“So just how many times have you been stabbed?” Judy asked as she pressed the button for the chief’s floor.

“I guess this makes the third time with a knife by a traditionally prey species. Clawed a few times and shot once,” Nick answered. “Growing up on the streets is hard, Fluff.”

Judy looked up at him. “You didn’t have to put yourself between him and me you know.”

Nick looked down at her and smiled as the elevator doors opened. “I know.”

“I could have handled Cunningham,” Judy started. “You didn’t have to get hurt.”

“I know,” Nick said.

“Then why did you push me back?” Judy asked.

“I love you,” Nick said warmly, his tail finding its usual spot on her hip.

“Nick, that's not an answer!” Judy exclaimed as they neared the chief’s office.

“It isn't?” Nick asked as they stopped outside of the chief’s door. “I thought it was a perfect answer.”

“You need to trust me,” she said, looking up at him.

“I do trust you Fluff,” Nick said, looking down at her. “I trust you to lead the way when we breach buildings. I trust in your abilities. But most importantly, I love you.”

Judy’s ears fell back as her anger deflated a little bit and sighed. “I love you too Nick.”

“If you two are done having a Howlmark moment outside of my office door get in here; we have things to discuss,” Chief Bogo said.

Nick and Judy looked up to see the chief standing there with the door open.

“Uh, hi Chief…” Judy said as she looked up at the massive cape buffalo.

“In, now, both of you,” Chief Bogo said gruffly.

“Still working on the line of greeting cards sir?” Nick asked as he followed Judy into the office. Chief Bogo snorted at him.

Nick and Judy climbed up in the much too large chair across from the chief’s desk.

“You wished to talk to us Chief?” Judy asked.

“I did.” Chief Bogo sat down in his chair and took off his reading glasses. “It's about Cunningham.”

“Don’t worry sir, we’ll find a deep hole somewhere for him,” Judy said as she fought to keep from balling up her fists. The tip of Nick's tail flicked slightly in her lap.

Bogo snorted as he studied the pair across from him. The fox seemed oddly calm, maybe even relaxed even, in stark contrast to the rabbit's anger. Judy nearly vibrated with her anger; her ears twitched slightly, as well as her nose. Bogo watched as Nick smoothed her ears back gently.

“Hey,” Nick said softly to her, “I'm ok, he's not worth it.”

Judy took a deep breath and visibly relaxed. “Sorry Chief,” She said as she glanced up at the buffalo.

Chief Bogo nodded and snorted. “I believe Nigel Cunningham represents a unique opportunity.”

“How?” Nick asked.

“Well, if what he hinted at is correct, he’s been working with Martin Flannagan much longer than Delgato has. Delgato, according to Nigel, was brought on eight or nine months ago,” Chief Bogo explained as he looked back and forth between the two small detectives.

“And you believe him?” Judy asked. “What makes Nigel different than say Friedkin or Delgato?”

“I’ve been doing this a long time Ho…Mrs. Wilde,” Bogo said, catching himself. “Nigel…” He paused as he gathered his thoughts. “Isn’t self-serving.”

“What do you mean Chief?” Nick asked.

“His wife is dying,” Bogo said solemnly. “Evidently the city’s idea of taking care of its first responders is to let our families suffer in our stead. A problem that I will attempt to remedy.”

“Do you know what she has?” Judy asked, her emotions clearly shifting from anger.

Chief Bogo sighed. “He hasn’t said, and the hospital isn't at liberty to tell me much either.”

“I want to talk to him,” Nick said after a few moments.

“Nick, are you sure?” Judy asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure Fluff,” Nick said. “If he knows something useful he might at least give us a hint, and that we can take to the DA.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nigel lifted his head from the cold metal table when he heard the door of the interview room rattle. _I’ve been in here for hours_ , he thought to himself. His eyes widened as a red fox in a dark blue ZPD workout shirt walked in carrying two paper bags and a drink tray in his paws.

“Hey buddy, how's it going?” Nick asked as he walked over to the table and put down the drink tray. “I got wraps from this little place down the street that Judy likes. I wasn't sure what to get you so I went with their lettuce and tomato special and a blueberry smoothie because...well, who doesn't love blueberries, am I right?” he explained as he climbed up onto the chair and pushed one of the bags across the table to Nigel.

Nigel watched as Nick popped a straw into one of the smoothies and pushed it across to him as well. “Why?” he asked as he looked down at the food.

Nick popped a straw into his own smoothie and looked across the table at Nigel. “Pffft, if I let a little thing like someone trying to kill me bother me, I wouldn’t have…” Nick looked thoughtful for a moment. “Three-quarters of the acquaintances that I have. I’d be down more than a few friends as well, but more importantly, I wouldn’t even be married.”   

Nigel looked down at the food and opened the bag slowly, as if expecting it to explode in his face. He glanced back at Nick, who was already eating his own lunch.

“Mmmmm, that place does make good wraps,” Nick commented. “You’re an omnivore as well, right?” Nigel nodded. “Then you should really try the chicken turkey club wrap, my friend . Sometimes they’re a little heavy pawed with the lettuce though.”

Nigel unwrapped the paper from his wrap and gave it a sniff before he took a bite.

Nick smiled at him. “See, good food, right? Now as for why, well, a mammal has to eat right?”

Nigel nodded. “I just figured you would hold more of a grudge.”

“Well you see, I guess this is where you lucked out,” Nick started to explain between bites of his own wrap. “You stabbed me, but if you had hurt Judy?” Nick's eyes met Nigel's. “Well, let's not think about that shall we? Besides, I'm not here to talk about it.”

“You’re not?” Nigel asked surprised.

“Nope, not even here to ask you about working for Flannagan. What I want to know is about is your wife,” Nick stated.  

“Persilla…” Nigel said as he looked down at his cuffed hoofs.

“Oh hey, here let me get those for you,” Nick said as he fished out his handcuff key and unlocked the cuffs from around Nigel's wrists. “A mammal should at least have some dignity when they eat, right?”

“It’s against regulations to uncuff…” Nigel started as he looked at Nick.

“Yeah, I know that,” Nick said as he sat back down. “But you should know that I'm your best hope of getting to walk out of here and see your wife tonight,” Nick leaned forward looking Nigel in the eyes. “You should also know there is a very angry bunny in the next room.”

Nigel swallowed and looked to the one-way glass.

“And mammals say I'm savage,” Nick scoffed. “But enough about unpleasantries. Tell me about Persilla.”

“She used to be so full of life, fun and funny. Generally a great mammal to be around, the kind that makes you want to be better, ya know?” Nigel started after a few more bits of his wrap. “We got married...” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Eleven years ago….sheesh has it really been that long?”

Nick nodded. “Time flies.”

“True,” Nigel agreed. “We use to go on vacations together;  we saw most of old Europaw and large parts of South Animalica.”  
   
“Sounds like fun,” Nick said honestly.

“It was; we would scrimp and save for most of the year just to go on vacation for a few weeks and live like royalty.” Nigel sighed. “Then four years ago she started to get weaker and weaker. At first we thought it was just a cold, but after a while, I was able to convince her to go see our doctor.”

Nick watched the sadness grow in Nigel's eyes. “They ran tests, and the diagnosis wasn't good.” Nigel sat the remains of his wrap down on the paper it had been wrapped in. “ALS.”

“I’m sorry,” Nick said with genuine sympathy.  

Nigel lifted his head and looked at the fox. “At first the ZPD’s insurance picked up most of the costs, and the little they didn’t we were easily able to afford. Then Persilla couldn’t work and it got tighter, but we were together and we still somehow made it work.”

“What changed?” Nick asked softly.

“A year later the city changed the insurance carrier, and they put a cap on medical costs for dependents. Our portion went from like 200 a month to almost 2,000.” Nigel looked away. “I tried, I really, really tried. I worked and worked; I would leave my shift here and go do a small shift at Bugaburger, and then go stock shelves at Woolmart, catch a few hours of sleep, then start it all over again.”

“Sounds exhausting,” Nick prompted.

“It was,” Nigel said softly. “I've been watching her die for the last four years; slowly I've watched the sow that I love waste away,” Nigel said, tears starting to stream down his face. “I know I’ve screwed up, Detective. I know I'm going to jail, and by the time I get out, Persilla will be gone.  I know I shouldn't ask, but will you please, please make sure she’s taken care of?”

Nick took a sip of his blueberry smoothie as he studied Nigel. “I won't lie to you Nigel, my partner wants to put you in a deep dark hole.” Nigel nodded at that. “But on the other paw, Chief Bogo thinks you represent an opportunity.”

“What do you think?” Nigel asked.

“Let me ask you a question,” Nick started as he sat his smoothie down. “You took a huge risk to help your wife. Would you take a larger one to keep helping her?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy sighed as she listened to and watched Nick earning Nigel’s trust. “I am not ok with this,” she stated flatly as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the floor.

Chief Bogo snorted as he watched the conversation in the next room unfold and looked down at his smallest officer. “You’re not?” Chief Bogo asked. “Need I remind you it wasn’t that long ago you pushed to give a fox that you eventually married a second chance.”

Judy sighed as she listened to Nigel’s plight. Her ears twitched slightly where they lay down her back. “It's not that he doesn't deserve a second chance,” she admitted after a few moments.

“He stabbed your husband,” Bogo stated and looked down at her.

Judy took a deep breath before slowly letting it out and nodding.

“He’s ok you know,” Bogo stated, looking from Judy to Nigel. “And there is no way you could have known what was about to happen.”

“I know,” Judy said quietly. “I just don’t like it when he gets hurt. “

Bogo snorted and looked down at her once again. “It's never easy seeing the ones we love get hurt. Especially if they get hurt on our behalf.”

“He’s gotten hurt for me way too many times,” Judy admitted.

Bogo watched her for a moment. Her ears were erect and her eyes were glued to her husband in the next room. “Well, if anything, this incident has removed any doubts I’ve had about the pair of you.”

“Chief?” Judy asked.

“I see the way you look at him,” Bogo admitted. “Males have fought wars to have a female look at him the way you do him.”

“I don't want anyone to fight a war for me,” Judy said as she glanced up at Chief Bogo.

Bogo snorted. “You might not get that choice, Hopps.” Judy bristled at the buffalo’s use of her maiden name. “I’ve seen the way you look at him, and with just a little fuel it would start a fire.”

Judy looked up at Chief Bogo, her ears slowly falling down her back.

“But I’ve also seen the way he looks at you,” Bogo continued. “Trust me, if your look would start the fire, his?” Bogo shook his massive head. “His would ensure that the world would burn.”

Judy took a deep breath. “I love him,” she said as she watched him work.

“Good,” Bogo answered. “You're going to need that to see you through what lies ahead.”

“I hate arresting cops; we’re supposed to be protecting this city,” Judy said softly.

Bogo nodded. “The official line will be a training accident and equipment confusion.”

“It wouldn’t do for us to burn our double agent.”

“No, no it would not.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nigel walked into his wife's room with his bowl of soup and sat down by her bedside. The bag of nutrients and vitamins that hung from the IV pole served as her dinner. Her pale brown eyes regarded him warmly, and she offered him a weak smile.

Nigel stirred his soup as he let it cool.

“What is wrong?” asked the robotic voice that had served as her means of communication for the last few months.

Nigel sighed. “I almost went to jail today,” he admitted, as he could never lie to her; she would see right through it even now. While her body might be failing, her mind was as sharp as ever.

He watched as his wife's hoof slowly pressed keys for words on a tablet. “Because of the mob?” She asked.

Nigel nodded. “Delgato ratted me out; I walked into the observation room just in time to hear him do it,” he explained as he put his soup aside and explained everything to her.

She listened to him; if she judged him for his actions, she never it let show. “Working for the mob was a bad idea,” came her robotic voice a few moments after he finished explaining his day. “Glad that you have a way out.”

He nodded and sighed. “It's not going to be easy, and it's going to be dangerous.”

“The right thing is never easy.”

He opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the ringing of his cellphone. He sighed as he looked guilty. “One moment,” he told her as he fished out his phone and answered it. “This is Nigel.”

She watched as he seemingly sunk in on himself just a bit.

“It was a training accident and equipment malfunction. I was questioned for a little bit then let go,” he said into the phone. “No, I don’t believe anyone has been ratted out at this time.” He swallowed as her eyes never left his. “It’ll be a few days, as I’ve been placed on administrative leave while brass sorts things out,” he said. “Yes, yes, I can get you an inventory of what's in the lockers by the end of the week.” He sighed as the other end of the call hung up.

“They want me to tell them what the ZPD still has in evidence lock up,” he told her as he pulled out a second phone that had been given to him that afternoon.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick sighed as he dropped the new second chance vest on the floor by the door. He slowly walked over and slumped into the couch. He closed his eyes as the day's events replayed in his mind. Could this day get any longer? he asked himself. What was supposed to be an afternoon of rest and relaxation turned into an afternoon of paperwork.  His ears swiveled as he heard Judy in the kitchen. At least she wasn’t as angry as she was this morning.

Judy pulled out one of the frozen chicken breasts from the freezer and put it on a plate before she popping it into the microwave to defrost. She looked over at Nick in the living room and smiled. “You ok in there, Slick?” she asked as she went about preparing their dinner.

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” he called back tiredly.

“No,” she said as she looked in the fridge and pulled out an assortment of vegetables. “You were the one that got stabbed today,” she told him as she stepped back up onto her step stool.

He cracked an eye and looked over at her. “Not going to lie Fluff, it hurts, but it’s not as bad as it could have been.”

“Just how many times have you been stabbed?” Judy asked.

“With a knife?” Nick asked rhetorically. “This would make the second time.”

Judy paused and looked at him, surprised. “What else would you have been stabbed with?”

“Clawed a few times, but I don't really count that as a stabbing,” Nick said nonchalantly. “But some Cervidae like to fashion a knife of sorts out of their shed antlers.”

“Nick…” Judy started to say something, but was interrupted by the dinging of the microwave announcing that his chicken breast was thawed.

“What can I say Fluff?” Nick asked. “Hustlin’ ain't easy, and you're bound to ruffle the fur of a few mammals along the way.”

“How did you know he was there?” Judy asked as she got his defrosted chicken breast out of the microwave.

Nick thought about it for a few moments, replaying the events of the ambush in his head. “He was sloppy for one, but the other is harder to explain.”

“Can you try?” Judy asked.

Nick sighed and gathered his thoughts. “When mammals truly mean to do you harm, things change,” he started. “Most of the changes are subtle: smells that don't belong, or an out of place sound. Other times it’s a normally busy street suddenly empty; sometimes it's like the air itself takes on a feeling of sudden dread.”   

“What gave Nigel away?” Judy asked.

“He stumbled, like he second-guessed what he was about to do,” Nick answered and opened his eyes as he looked over at her. “I could also hear the click of the blade folding open. Those spring loaded knives that police officers can carry have a very distinct sound.”

“But I didn’t hear anything,” Judy said.

“You weren’t listening for it; and even if you heard it, you would have thought it was part of the garage noises,” Nick shrugged as his phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Who is it?” Judy asked as she started to fry up Nick’s chicken breast.

“Looks like Nigel is already paying his way to freedom,” Nick said as he read the text message. “Looks like Martin’s crew wants to know what's still in the evidence lockers.”

“So we bait the trap?” Judy asked.

Nick nodded, “Collect evidence for later; we need to try to get  Nigel moved up the ranks a bit. We don't want to burn our agent with small fish.”

Judy thought about it for a moment. “Makes sense. He’s taking a lot of risks though.”

Nick looked over at her. “That he is, but he also has a lot to lose.”

“What makes you think he won't turn on us?” Judy asked.   

“Persilla.“

“So what's our next move then?” Judy asked.

Nick thought about it for a moment. “We will work with Chief Buffalo Butt and see what we can give up for the time being.”

Judy flipped the chicken breast one more time and looked over at him. “So we make them think everything is the status quo except for Delgato.” She thought about it for a moment. “We’ll need to work with Mr. Fisher and the Department of Corrections to make sure he’s isolated for a while; otherwise, him blabbering to save his own fur might throw a monkey wrench into things.”

Nick smiled at her. “It's like one big hustle, but instead of one mammal, we have an entire organization we have to hustle.”

“Do you think we stand a good chance of getting Martin?” Judy asked.

“I honestly don’t know. But if we can start to get a feel for who his allies are, we might be able to put pressure on them,” Nick said.

“Put enough pressure on them, and maybe one of them will raise his paw and say ‘I’ve had enough he's over there,’” Judy added as she plated their dinner. She eyed the chicken breast. “I hope I cooked it well enough,” she said.

“I’m sure it's fine; thank you for cooking tonight,” Nick said as he got up and walked over to their dining room table.

“We should look for a new dining room table this weekend,” Judy said. “Or at least chairs where Cotton and I wouldn't need boosters.”

“And a bunny sized bed for the second bedroom,” Nick added as he looked thoughtful.

Judy sat their dinners down on the table. “You mean an actual bed and not a dresser drawer?” She asked.

“Hey, I'll have you know that elephant dresser was very utilitarian,” Nick said in mock defense of his previous living quarters. “Not only did it serve as my bed, it also allowed me to store my clothes in it.”

“Yes, the finest second or third paw thing you and Finnick could find alongside the road I’m sure,” Judy said as she started to munch on the veggies.

“I’ll have you know madam I bought it new from Ikea,”  Nick said with all seriousness.

Judy grinned and then couldn’t help but giggle at the faux indignation on his face. Her warm smile lit up her face as she said softly. “I love you.”

Nick's faux indignation melted as his warm smile was mirrored in eyes. “I love you too Fluff.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonnie sighed as she shut down her computer and turned off the desk light. The rest of the paperwork can wait for the morning, she thought to herself as she stood up and stretched. She sighed as she walked down the near silent halls of the burrow. The soft mutterings, and in some cases snores that could do a chainsaw justice, broke what would have otherwise been an eery silence.  

Stepping into the room she used to share with Stu, her eyes were drawn to the bed, or more importantly the small lump in the center of it. Stepping closer the lump’s features slowly became those of Cotton and her stuffed fox. The fox stared at her with unblinking glass eyes. Being this close she could still smell the faint whiff of Nick on the toy. Somewhere Cotton had found a lime green shirt and stuffed it onto the fox.

She sighed as she heard Hipp's voice from that morning. “We’ll figure something out.” She shook her head and went about getting ready for bed. A few minutes later she silently slid into bed and scooted over, placing a paw gently on Cotton's stomach.

Bonnie’s alarm jolted her from her deep slumber. Her paw reached over and groggily shut the offending device down. Looking over at it, the device read 4:30. She looked puzzled for a moment before she lifted the covers and looked down at Cotton; her back was to her and her small arms were wrapped around the stuffed fox, but it was enough to allow her to sleep. Maybe it was her imagination, but the look on the stuffed fox’s face looked almost smug.

“Gramma?” Cotton asked sleepily.

“Shhh, it's ok little bun,” Bonnie said softly. “Go back to sleep.”

“Kay…” Cotton mumbled and held her stuffed fox tighter. Bonnie shook her head at the small bunny as she slid out of bed to start to get ready for her day.

“Hey Mom,” Hipp greeted her as Bonnie entered the dining room. “Have a better night’s sleep?”

“Do I have you to thank for Cotton ending up in my bed?”

“It worked didn’t it?” Hipp asked as she went down the buffet line getting her breakfast.

Bonnie smiled as she poured her tea. “That it did, thank you. How did Cotton’s visit with Iris go yesterday?”

Hipp paused. “They got along well. Cotton’s infectious energy pulled Iris a little more out of her shell. They played a couple of board games and Cotton walked down the hall a few times with Cotton.”

Bonnie nodded, “Maybe she just needs to be around more bunnies?” she asked.

“Maybe. I'm not sure if introducing her to the entirety of the family would be a good idea though.”

“I don't know,” Bonnie said as she gathered up some toast and vegetables. “She seemed to do ok at the train station.”

Hipp paused at the end of the buffet table. “I honestly didn't think she had that in her. But I think that had more to do with Nick than anything.”

Bonnie walked with Hipp over to the head table. “That seems to be a growing trend around here,” she said.

“What, bunnies having a thing for Nick?” Hipp asked.

Bonnie smiled. “It wasn't that long ago he would have been referred to as ‘that fox’ at best.”

Hipp nodded. “Up until I met him, I thought of him as Judy’s fox,” she admitted. “But after meeting him? He's not quite what I expected.”

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You sure we got all our recommendation letters, Fluff?” Nick asked.

Judy rolled her eyes as she navigated their cruiser through downtown traffic. “Yes Nick, we got them all, even the ones from Lorie and Daisy,” she answered. “And before you ask again for the thirtieth time, yes we got all the paperwork completed.”

“Ok,” Nick said. “Just checking,” he answered nervously.

“Relax Nick, it's not like Rachel is going to be able to tell us to go to Bunnyburrow and pick Cotton up tomorrow,” Judy told him.   

Nick sighed. “I know, it's just that…”

“You're nervous,” Judy stated. “Whatever happened to the fox whose motto was ‘don't ever let them see that they get to you’?”  

Nick glanced over at her and slid his sunglasses down his muzzle so she could see his eyes. “You get to me,” he reminded her. “Besides, if I can’t show you that things get to me, then who can I?”

Judy smiled over at him. “I think it's cute.”

“Cute?” He asked. “This coming from a bunny?”

“Mmmmhmmm,” Judy answered. “Besides, you might as well be an honorary bunny at this point. A little big though, so maybe a hare.”

Nick smiled at her. “Yes, but while there may only be one actual fox in this car, you wouldn't be able to tell it from the smell.”

“Ahhh, but Nick, I think you forget something,” Judy said as she parked their cruiser near Rachel's building. “In our little family you're the only fox; soon you'll be outnumbered by bunnies two to one.”

“Are you forgetting my uncle Terry, and Skye?” Nick asked.

“Well, since I haven’t been formally introduced to either of them, I don't think they count,” Judy said as she looked over at him and unbuckled her seat belt. “But you, on the other paw, have been introduced to nearly all of my immediate family.”

Nick looked thoughtful as he unblocked his seat belt. “Well, that either makes me a box or a funny,” he said as he opened the passenger side door and slipped out.

“Like I said Slick, you’re a little on the large side, so you would be a fare or a hox,” Judy called as she slipped out of the drivers side door.

“Hox sounds like something Chief Buffalo Butt says when he clears his throat,” Nick said shaking his head. “So I have a better idea.”

“What's that?” Judy asked as they walked toward the building.

“How about I keep being the devilishly handsome fox, and you keep being the beautifully sly bunny that I fell in love with?”

“I like that idea,” Judy said looking up at him. “But what about Cotton?”

“She'll rule the world and be whatever she wants if she figures out how to weaponize her cuteness,” Nick said honestly.

Judy giggled. “Hate to break it to you Slick, but you are already wrapped around her little paw.”

“Maybe,” Nick answered with a smile on his face.

“Pfhhht! All she's going to have to do is look up at you with her big brown eyes, bat her eyelashes at you, and say ‘Daddy please,’ as cute as possible, and you'll cave,” Judy said as they walked toward the building.

“Is that what worked for you then?” Nick asked.

“Nope; I think my older sisters used it too much, and by the time it was my turn Dad was immune,” Judy explained.

Nick sighed as he opened the door for her. “Well, if that’s my lot in life, I shall bear it with all the dignity I can muster.”

“Dignity, or blueberries?” Judy asked.

Nick grinned at her. “Why does it have to be one or the other?” he asked. “Why not both? Are they in season yet?”

“Soon,” Judy said as she smiled at him. _Big kit,_ she thought to herself “They should start the harvest in a month or so, around the end of April.”

“Mrs. and Mr. Wilde?” a voice asked, pulling them from their conversation.

Judy looked over at the source of the voice and saw a black and grey fox that stood just taller than she did. She was dressed in a white blouse and black slacks. “I’m Detective Wilde, and this is my partner Detective Wilde,” Nick answered causing Judy to roll her eyes.

“You’ll have to excuse my husband; he's a little jumpy, after recent events,” Judy explained. “But yes, I'm Judy, and this is my husband, Nick.”

“My name is Julia Swift tail. I’m the social worker that is assigned to your adoption case,” Julia explained. “Training accident, right?” she asked. “Your names are flagged in the system, so anytime something comes up with you we’re notified; don't worry the flag will go away once the adoption is final,” she said in response to their puzzled looks.

“Oh,” Judy said and looked up nervously at Nick. “We were under the impression that it would be at least a month before we met with you.”

“Typically that would be the case, but with events being what they are my supervisors want me to move this along as much as I can,” Julia explained.

Judy sighed. “Just how badly did my dad put his foot down his throat?” she asked.

Julia grinned. “Far enough that I wondered what he would do when he got to his hip.”

“That sounds like Dad,” Judy said. “Did he pull a fox taser?” she asked.

“No, but honestly it might have been easier if he had,” Julia said as she walked with them to the elevators.

Judy nodded. “Mom told us about you putting a restraining order on Dad when we went to Bunnyburrow this weekend.”

Julia smiled as she pushed the call button. “Hipp told me you made quite the impression on young Iris,” she said, looking up at Nick. “I’m not sure if you understand the significance of her going to the train station to see you off.”

“Hipp told you about our visit?” Judy asked.

“I am Iris’s social worker as well and expressed an interest in knowing how that meeting went,” Julia explained. “When I met her, she hid behind Mrs. Woolverton and Hipp.”

“That is vastly different to how she acted to Nick,” Judy said as they stepped into the elevator.

“I know,” Julia said. “I'm impressed that you would continue a relationship with a kit you hardly know and have only met once, Mr. Wilde.”

“Twice,” Nick corrected. “I originally met her when I pulled her from Cuppaw’s basement of horrors.”

Julia sighed. “Mr. Wilde, I’m not sure you quite understand. Relationships are vital to Iris. She may not know how to fully express that, but when Hipp became a fixture in Iris’s life, Iris would constantly ask if Hipp was coming. It took a few months for her to start to grasp the concept of time.” She looked up at Nick, then Judy. “From what we gathered from Cuppaw’s records, she was down there at least two years. Two years in the dark; she's adjusted better than we expected.”

“I wish there were more we could do,” Judy said; her ears had long since fallen down her back.

Julia looked between them as the elevator doors opened. “Hipp told me about your offer to help fund her. Technically, we’re not supposed to accept such offers, and I'm sure that Hipp would never attempt to take you up on it.” She grinned slyly. “Nor am I ever supposed to mention that my superiors decided that a certain little bunny shouldn't have an exercise bike to help her regain strength in her legs.”

“I see,” Nick said as they exited the elevator and walked down the hall to Rachel's office.

Judy looked up at Nick as he pulled out his cell phone and quickly shot a text off to someone. Judy’s eyes went wide as he showed her his phone screen.

Nick: Bonnie I need the Woolverton's shipping address.

Bonnie: OK Will get it for you, give my love to Jude.

Nick’s smug smile stretched across his face as she looked up at him.

“Anyway, I’m here to help go over your paperwork and present some options to the pair of you,” Julia continued, as if she was oblivious to what she’d set in motion.

“Options?” Judy asked as Nick held the outer door open for them.

“Well yes; I’m sure you're aware of the state statute 4903?” Julia asked.

“Ummmm, it's not criminal code so I can't say that I am,” Judy answered truthfully.

“What, a law that you're not familiar with?” Nick asked in surprise, looking down at Judy.

“Hush you,” she said as she gave him a playful elbow to the stomach. “There are plenty that I'm not familiar with, as I never thought my life would take the turns that it has.”

“4903 in legalese pretty much outlines adoptions, and in a few cases for highly social mammals outlines minimums a couple should adopt to ensure the mental and emotional health of the kits involved,” Julia explained.

“Oh; Rachel thought we’d be able to get that requirement waived,” Nick said.

“Unfortunately those waivers are few and far between. We would have happily waived it if…” Julia sighed and huffed.

“If I was a bunny,” Nick said as Judy reached up and took hold of Nick’s paw,

Julia nodded. “Mr. Wilde, please don’t feel as if you’re being punished for being born the way you are. The state truly wants what’s best for Cotton, and her current living state is not conducive to balanced social view.”  

“Is my father the only reason we’re being considered for adopting Cotton?” Judy asked.

“No,”  Julia answered truthfully. “He just made things easier with the timing of his bigotry. Cotton is four, and that is much older than we would like for her to be without a stable parental support structure. While your mother and father up this point have done well, she easily fades into the background of the hundreds of kits in your family’s home.”

“I see; and just how many bunnies would we need to adopt?” Nick asked.

Julia looked up at him and smiled. “Two is the state-mandated minimum for bunnies.”

“Two?” Judy asked. “But as far as I’m aware, Cotton is the only bunny in my family that’s up for adoption.”

“Ahhh, Mrs. Wilde,” Julia started with a smile on her face. “That’s where we come to those aforementioned options, and we have a few bunnies in the system that I think would be a great match for your family.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“What do you think?” Judy asked an hour later as she navigated downtown traffic.

“I’m not sure what to think,” Nick answered. “I mean are we just supposed to make a decision on some kits life based on these files?” He sighed. “It feels wrong, inmammal even.”

“I know how you feel,” Judy said. “But it's not like we have to make a decision right now; Julia said we have some time to look over the files and think about it.”

Nick nodded and stared out of the passenger side window. His ears lay flat against his head and his shoulders slumped.

“What's really bothering you?” Judy asked.

Nick sighed heavily. “Part of me is overjoyed at the thought of a second kit. But I have a relationship with Cotton. She trusts me; what if the kit we choose hates foxes? I mean, no kit could hate you; you’re the first bunny cop. I’m sure kits all over have posters of you up on their walls.”

“Any kit we choose will end up adoring you, Nick,” Judy said reassuringly. “Besides, there’s already one in that bunch that you have a relationship with.”

“Yeah, but you heard Julia; she's dependent on her relationship with Hipp,” Nick said. “If we take that from her, it would be like removing the foundation of an already shaky house.”

For many moments the only sound was the tires on the pavement and the gentle purr of the cruiser's engine.

“You said you felt responsible for her. So, my sister aside, would you choose Iris?” Judy asked, breaking the silence.

Nick looked over at her thoughtfully. “Yeah, probably; it’s better than window shopping for some random kit,” he said, gesturing to the pile of files in his lap. “I mean, they even had kits fill out questionnaires about what they would want in a parent.”

Judy nodded as she parked their cruiser in the employee lot of city hall. “Then maybe we should figure out how to make that work.”

“I didn’t think you’d want to move back to Bunnyburrow; our commute would be killer and we’d hardly ever see our kits,” Nick said as he gathered up the file folders.

“No, us moving wouldn’t be such a good idea,” Judy admitted. “I don't know about you, but I want to actually be involved in our kits’ lives, and transferring to Bunnyburrow wouldn't be a good idea either.”

Nick nodded and chuckled. “Yeah; your family may be accepting, but a fox cop in bunnytown?” He asked, “Break out the pitchforks boys!” he said in false hillbilly accent.

“I told you Slick, we use shotguns now for running mammals out of town,”  Judy said as she looked thoughtful. “What if we offered Hipp a job?”

Nick sat quietly for a moment. “We definitely don't have space for a fourth mammal in our apartment.”

“No, we’d need to move or find her a place,” Judy said. “But it would give her the free time that she now has to trade her desserts for.”

“So, what, we hire DJ as our nanny?” Nick asked.

Judy nodded, and her eyes got bright. “It's perfect! Then we’ll have someone we trust to watch the kits while we’re at work!”

“Do you think she’ll go for it?” Nick asked. “I mean, that's a lot of pressure putting us adopting Iris on her being our nanny.”

“I don't know,” Judy admitted. “But all we can do is ask.”


	16. Episode 16: Bad Kitty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m placeing a warning here the last scenes of this chapter might be a little much for some. Others might see it as justice.

# Episode 16: Bad Kitty

“It's taken a lifetime to lose my way  
A lifetime of yesterdays  
All the wasted time on my hands  
Turns to sand  
And fades in the wind  
Crossing lines  
Small crimes  
Taking back what is mine”  
Fix Me ~ 10 Years

“I know you want to be talking to Hipp right now,” Judy said as Nick held open the outer door to the DA’s office. “But we’re going to disrupt her life enough, and we have work to do.”

Nick sighed as he held open the outer office door for her and followed her inside. “I promise,” Judy said quietly as they walked into the receptionist area of the DA’s office. “We’ll call her tonight after we’re done here.”

He huffed one last time and said. “Ok Fluff, I'm holding you to it.”

“I know you will.”

Nick smiled at her and glanced at Amanda sitting up on the receptionist's desk, paying more attention to their exchange than he felt comfortable with.

“How was your appointment this morning?” Amanda asked.

Nick eyed the fisher as they walked across the waiting room to the security door. What is her angle? he asked himself as he studied the smaller female. Her eyes had an earnest look about them, but something still felt off all the same.

“It went well,” Judy answered as Nick opened the security door for them.

“If you two need to talk to someone, I'm sure Mr. Fisher wouldn't mind letting you do that,” Amanda said kindly.

Nick huffed and looked up at Amanda. “Asking her sister to join us can wait until after work,” he told her as they walked through the door.

Judy rolled her eyes as they walked down the hall and looked up at him. “Could you have gotten any more vague?” she asked.

Nick shrugged. “What she thinks is her problem. Maybe we are inviting DJ out for ice cream.”

“I still think she’s just trying to be nice,” Judy said as they walked to their office.

“Maybe,” Nick said. “I still think she asks way to many questions about half conversations that she hears.”

“She sort of reminds me of my sisters back home,” Judy said honestly as they entered their office. “Just nosy.”

“Then maybe she moonlights on one of those gossip sites that has to report everything going on with other mammals,” he said as he sat down at his computer and logged in.

Judy rolled her eyes. “I had enough of those sites when I was dating…” she paused and looked up at Nick. “Jack.” She sat for a moment as she studied him. His fur didn't bristle out, and his eyes didn’t narrow.

“I remember,” Nick commented as he opened his email. “The sites went nuts when you dropped off the social scene. I think even ZNN ran a piece about it.”

“Nick?” Judy asked as she studied him.

“What is it Fluff?” Nick asked as he read through the emails that came in and opened the one from Chief Bogo. “Looks like we are giving up about 50 Kilos of the Coke that Thorton was picked up with after my shooting last summer.”

“Why didn’t you snarl and growl?” she asked, looking across their desks at him.

Nick looked up from his computer screen to her and smiled. “Maybe I’ve decided that I shouldn't give him that much control over my life?”

“Good,” she said, deciding to drop the subject for now as she pulled up her own email. “Looks like the Chief has tasked Higgins and Snarlov to take the rest to our disposal facility.”

“Besides, I’m not the one he wronged,” Nick added.

“So are we going to pass the information over to Cunningham?” Judy asked.

Nick nodded as he pulled out his cell phone and started typing out a message.

“Isn’t using your personal phone dangerous?” Judy asked.

“Typically yes, but this is a dual sim model with a throw away sim card in the second slot.” Nick explained as he finished sending a message to Nigel. “The second sim card is a prepaid card in cash with no record back to me.”

“I see,” Judy said quietly as she studied her her husband. “I think we should start looking into the wolf on third shift,” she said, and checked her notes.  “Thomas Moran.”

Nick nodded. “It will take time for Cunningham to bear any fruit for us anyway. But I get the feeling Moran is more of an errand mammal than anything.”

“Regardless, we should work on minimizing anything he could do, as he could contradict Cunningham,” Judy said.  

“Any ideas, Fluff?” Nick asked.

Judy looked down at her desktop for a moment, then smiled as she looked up at Nick. “I think we should let Chief Bogo deal with it. We can’t arrest him any time soon, but I'm sure the Chief can think of something to do with him.”

Nick smiled. “Works for me, hopefully the Chief sends him to Tundra Town for a while.”

“There was one other name…” Judy said as she flipped through her notes.

“Katylin Moss,” Nick supplied.

Judy nodded. “I wonder what she was fired for?”

“Well, there’s an easy way to find out; why don't we go ask Mr. Fisher?” Nick asked.

Judy stood up from her desk as she locked the computer system. “Shall we?” she asked.

Nick locked his work station and stood up, stretching. “Hopefully he's not in court.”

“It's around lunch, so I think he’ll be in his office.” Judy replied as they walked out the door.

The office was much busier than when they normally came in first thing in the morning. Soft murmured conversations could be heard, and somewhere a phone rang loudly. Sharply dressed paralegals went about their duties. Most paid the pair no heed, others ignored them entirely, and a small pawful smiled at them or gave them respectful nods.

Nick's paws were stuffed into the pockets of his slacks. His eyes looked ahead of him as he took in their surroundings in his peripheral vision. To the casual observer, it looked as if he had not a care in the world, that he would have been equally at home on the streets as well as in the busy bustling office environment.

Judy walked beside him in stark contrast to the at ease fox. Her entire body language spoke that she was a rabbit on a mission so best get out of her way. Her ears were upright, her strides purposeful in contrast to the lazy gait of her partner.

Nick watched as Judy knocked on Mr. Fisher’s office door frame. “Do you have a few moments sir?” she asked.

Mr. Fisher looked up from his sandwich. “As long as you don't mind me eating lunch while we talk.”

“We could come back later if you’d prefer…” Judy started.

“I have to be in court in about forty five minutes so if you’re going to talk to me, now is probably the best time,” Mr. Fisher told them.

Judy looked up at Nick, who shut the door behind them as they walked into the office.

“So what do you need to talk to me about?” Mr. Fisher asked between bites of his sandwich.

Judy’s nose twitched as she smelled the smoked salmon in the sandwich. “We need to talk to you about Katylin Moss,” she said as she sat down in a chair across from the otter.

“I fired her close to five months ago now,” Mr. Fisher said. “What do you need to know about her?”

“Why did you fire her?” Nick asked as he sat down in a chair beside Judy.

“She was slow and inefficient at her job; she spent more time socializing than actually doing what she was hired to do,” Mr. Fisher answered. “I gave her numerous opportunities to improve, but if anything she got worse.”

“Inefficient how?” Judy asked.

Mr. Fisher stiffened slightly. “I have yet to read through the report regarding Wolfson Delgato as the incident with Nigel Cunningham occurred. I take it you’re asking about Miss Moss due to your investigation?”

“Yes, sir,” Judy answered. “Delgato named Miss, Moss as an accomplice in undermining the ZPD.”

“I see,” Mr Fisher said. “Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t discuss these matters, but if you think it might be relevant to your case…”

“We do,” Nick said. “While there’s little we can do to her right now, it will help us lay down the foundation of a case against her.”

“I see. Well, it does explain a few things I suppose,” Mr. Fisher said. “Miss Moss had the unfortunate habit of losing paperwork. It got to the point that I would  only hand her copies, as she’d frequently forced me to redo several documents.”

“When did this start?” Judy asked.

“Well over a year ago,” Mr. Fisher replied just before popping a chip into his mouth.

“That sounds like a good reason to move her someplace like the records department or even the DMV; why did you fire her out right?” Judy asked.

Mr. Fisher sighed and leaned back in his chair, his lunch now seemingly forgotten. He studied the two officers across from him. Nick’s eyes met his easily enough; the fox almost seemed bored with the whole thing, like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. Judy’s eyes held an innate curiosity, like the next thing out of his mouth would break the case wide open.

“She tried, very poorly might I add, to seduce me; when that failed she attempted to blackmail me, saying she would press charges for sexual harassment,” Mr. Fisher said after a few moments.

“Why didn’t you press charges then?” Judy asked.

“Because both attempts were comically poor at best.” Mr. Fisher shook his head. “I had originally thought she was after a raise.”

“And the reason she didn’t move forward with the charges?” Judy asked.

Mr. Fisher smiled and opened a drawer of his desk, producing a familiar carrot pen. “Because Mrs. Wilde, I took a page out of your play book.”

Nick’s chuckle slowly grew in volume as Judy shot him a disapproving glare. “What?” he asked. “With the number of those pens that have been in our cases in the past it was only a matter of time before someone else started to use it.”

Judy sighed and looked back over to Mr. Fisher, frowning as she thought. “Maybe we can use this?” she asked after a moment. “Maybe we can tie her attempts at both blackmail and poor performance on the job to working for Flannigan.”

Nick nodded. “We’ll need to quietly dig into her finances.”

“We should also look to see where she’s gained employment since her firing,” Judy added.

“Maybe we can tie her current employment to Flannigan as well,” Nick said. “But it will more than likely be tied to a shell corporation.”

Mr. Fisher nodded. “And unfortunately, being unwittingly employed by a mob boss isn't technically illegal.”

“But if we can catch her doing something illegal, it might give us the means needed to go on and get her off of the street,” Judy said.

“Well it sounds like you two know where you need to look next,” Mr. Fisher said as he stood up from his chair. “Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be in Courtroom 42 in about ten minutes.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Gotcha.” Nick said triumphantly a few hours later. The sun had started to set, painting their office in various shades of orange and pink.

“What did you find?” Judy asked.

“She’s hidden her money by making it look like business transactions,” Nick answered.

“How is she doing that?” Judy asked, looking over at him from her own computer screen.

“By making cash deposits over 10 grand,” Nick said.

Judy raised an eyebrow. “We were told by Mom that making cash deposits over 10,000 would trigger some paperwork at the bank.”

“Correct, the bank will report the transaction to the IRS and need forms stating where the money has come from,” Nick confirmed. “But that's where she got both clever and sloppy.”

“Ok, so don't keep me in suspense Slick,” Judy said as she smiled over at him.

“The bank has to keep the records for at least three years. Considering they just scan it into a computer these days there is almost no reason at all for them to delete the forms. Her deposits go back about 19 months,” Nick said as he looked over his notes. “About that time she started a company called Moss Growth Enterprises. Says that they specialize in computer consulting work.”

“Ok, I'm following so far,” Judy said.

“See, this is where she got both clever and sloppy,” Nick said. “She used invoices for services with companies around the city; that's the clever bit. The sloppy bit is, she used the same invoice down to the invoice number with just the payee changed for all of them.”

“So why didn’t this get flagged before?” Judy asked.

“My guess is the bank teller just saw that the proper paperwork was in order and filed correctly; since there were no glaring red flags they didn’t flag it with the IRS,” Nick explained. “Since it was reported to the IRS, I bet Miss Moss even paid the taxes on the money; and since the government got their cut what would they care?”

“So she laundered it,” Judy stated flatly.

“Pretty slyly, too. No need to involve the mob or a casino; just five minutes with a computer and a printer,” Nick shrugged.

“Well that explains her lack of employment after being fired,” Judy said. “Is she still making deposits?”

Nick nodded. “Every two weeks like clockwork.”

Judy frowned. “If she’s not able to slow down prosecutions or report on them, what is she doing that Flannigan is still paying her for?”

“Maybe Nigel knows?” Nick asked. “I doubt Delgato knows much of anything else worthwhile, but if need be we can talk to him as well.”

Judy shook her head. “After the trouble we went through yesterday to put him in a hole for the next few months?”

“Yeah, bringing him out could be dangerous,” Nick agreed.

“I think it's better to leave him where he's at and get the information by other means,” Judy agreed as she looked at the time. “But I think those questions are better left for tomorrow.”

Nick smiled at her. “Ready to call it a day?”

“Yeah, and by the time we get home Hipp should be free to talk as well,” Judy said as she locked her work station and stood up, stretching.

“Maybe we should order out tonight,” Nick said as he locked his work station and followed her out their office door, pausing just long enough to shut and lock it.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“Mmmmm, how about Chinese tonight?”

Judy smiled as they walked down the hall. “I could go for some broccoli and tofu chow mein,” she admitted.

“Chinese it is then,” Nick said as he pulled out his phone.

“Ordering already?” she asked as they walked out the security door.

“No, messaging our friend,” he answered, his thumb quickly typing out a message as Amanda watched them walk out of the office, making note of when they left.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hipp huffed as she sat down at her desk in her small room. The thick three ring binder labeled Iris sat in front of her with its multitude of tabs. She ran a practiced thumb down the tabs until she found the one she needed and effortlessly flipped open the binder. She reached across her desk and pulled a form from a folder before sitting it down in front of her.

She sighed as she picked up a pen and started to fill it in. _Stupid laptop is on the fritz again; I need a new one_ , she thought to herself as she filled in the progress report. _This is going to be twice the work. I’ll have to hand write them, and then later type it or scan it and submit them at the end of the week._

 _Iris_ , she wrote. _Is taking to having a friend better than could have been expected. Whether it’s because of Detective Wilde’s insistence that she make a friend or that she was genuinely lonely and wanted to be with someone around her own age has yet to be seen. Regardless, the changes made in the last few visits have been profound. While it’s still my expert opinion that Iris would do well to have access to an exercise bike, she has taken to walking outside with Cotton. Iris can currently go approximately 1/8th of a mile before the strength in her legs gives out. I would like to increase that to about ½ of a mile before any adoption proceedings take place, but I also realize that that might not be feasible. Socially, Iris seems to be doing well with Cotton as a friend, but by the end of our two hour long visits Iris is mentally and physically exhausted. Mrs. Woolverton has stated that Iris’s night time excursions have diminished since Cotton has become part of the therapy program._

Hipp paused as her cell phone started to ring. “Now who could be calling me at this time of day?” she asked the otherwise empty room as she picked up her phone. “Judy? What would she want?”

“Hey sis!” came Judy’s energetic voice as the call connected and her face filled the frame of the camera.

“Hey Jude,” Hipp said a bit more somberly. “If you’re looking for Mom and Cotton…” she started.

“No no, you’re the bunny we’re wanting to talk to,” Judy told her.

“I take it Nick is with you?” she asked.

“Hey DJ,” she heard Nick's voice call out to her from off screen.

“Hey Nick! So what can I do for you guys tonight?” Hipp asked.

“Well, we were wondering how Cotton and Iris are getting along?” Judy asked.

“I would say fairly well given the circumstances. They went for a walk outside and played Carrotland today.”

“Really?” Nick asked from off screen. “Outside? Does she still need the exercise bike?”

“Yeah, outside.” Hipp frowned. “How did you know about…”

“We met with Julia Swifttail today,” Judy explained. “She told Nick about Iris’s funding woes.”

Hipp took a deep breath and sighed, nodding. “Yeah, she told me yesterday that the state denied the funding request, saying that there was plenty of space outside for that purpose. It’s like they don't even read our required status reports .”

“I meant it, DJ, when I said to let me know if there was anything that she needed,” Nick chimed in.

“I know Nick, it’s just…” Hipp looked away from the phone. “I didn’t want to seem like I was taking advantage of your generosity.”

“DJ, in order to take advantage, you first have to ask for something. I will pay for her exercise bike, but I’m hoping to save on shipping,” Nick said as Judy pointed her phone’s camera at him. She could see the warm smile on the fox’s face.

“But that’s not the only reason we called,” Judy explained. “Julia told us about state statute 4903 and us needing to adopt two bunnies.”

Hipp nodded. “Ok, I'm not familiar with that statute but go on.”

“Julia gave us a stack of files to go through and Iris is one of them,” Judy said. “Nick,” Hipp saw her look off camera for a moment. “Well, he's a fox, and finding bunnies that would accept a fox…”

“I get it Judes,” Hipp said. “There’s a lot of prejudice that comes with Nick. So you’re looking to adopt Iris?”

Judy smiled. “Yes actually, we would like to adopt Iris.”

“That's great!” Hipp said excitedly. “I’m sure once she gets her head around being adopted she would love to be adopted by her hero. But there’s a lot of work that’ll come with adopting her.”

“We understand that,” Nick said as Judy pointed the camera back at him. “We also know we’d need some help.”

“We would like to offer you a job,” Judy said as she somehow got both of them into frame.

“A job?” Hipp asked.

“Well, you already work with Iris, and she has a pretty strong bond with you. We’ve read what Julia gave us about her and feel like severing the bond between you two wouldn’t be healthy for her,” Nick explained.

“Plus, we’ll need someone to care of her and Cotton while we’re at work,” Judy said. “Someone we can both trust to look after our kits.”

“So, a nanny?” Hipp asked. “I don’t know, I mean, were would I live? What about rent? It’s expensive in the city and I don’t have the clientele there.”

“From what Mom tells me, Iris is really the only kit you’re working with,” Judy said. “We haven't figured out the living arrangements yet, as we don't fully know what to look for, but wanted to offer you the job.”

Hipp sighed as she looked away from her phone for a moment. “Can I think about it?” she asked.

“Of course,” Nick said warmly. “It would be a huge change in your life; we don't expect you to make a decision right away.”

“What about Iris?” Hipp asked. “If I say no, will you still adopt her?”

Judy looked up at Nick who nodded at his wife. “Yes,”Judy answered. “We will adopt Iris, regardless of what you decide.”

Hipp sighed. “That's good to hear; she deserves a good home.”

“That she does,” Judy said. “Just do us a favor and don't tell Cotton or Iris please; the state could still come back and say no.”

“But from what Julia had to say this morning it looks closer to yes than no,” Nick interjected.

“I’ll try to have my answer in the next day or so,” Hipp said.

“Before you go, would you want a room with us or your own place?” Judy asked.

Hipp's eyes went wide. “Ummmmm, I don't know.”

“We can look into both options,” Nick said warmly. “Honestly, no pressure.”

“Thanks,” Hipp said softly.

“We’ll let you go now Hipp, have a nice evening,” Judy said warmly.

“Yeah talk to you later DJ,” Nick said right after her.

“Bye guys,” Hipp said just before hanging up the phone and letting it slip into her desk. She rested her head on her paws and closed her eyes. _Leave Bunnyburrow?_ she asked herself. Her mind flashed with the possibilities. _I could finish my degree…_

She looked up at the framed associates and bachelor degrees on her wall _. They’re cops though, which could mean I’d have to watch the kits some nights._ She frowned as she thought it through. _But since they’re cops, how could they afford it? City living is expensive, and they’re talking about just finding another place,_ she thought to herself. _But Iris would make an excellent doctoral thesis…_

She picked up her phone and looked at the time. _Nine thirty; Mom should still be awake,_  she thought to herself as she stood up and opened her bedroom door. She looked back on the small room that she had lived in since high school. _Maybe it is time for something new,_ she thought as she turned and walked down the hall.

Most of the halls of the warren were covered in the artwork of kits down to the height of about two feet from the floor. Her parents had long ago decided to let the kits decorate the walls; it was easier than getting upset about the artwork. Sometimes, like outside of her sister Barbra’s room, there were fantastical murals painted, but most of the time it was stick figure bunnies. She smiled at it all.

A few minutes later she neared her mother's office. The light was still on and she could hear typing on the keyboard. She knocked softly on the door frame to get her mother’s attention.

“Hipp,” Bonnie greeted her. “What brings you down here? I thought you had a lot of paperwork to get through.”

“I do, but…” Hipp paused for a moment. “Can I come in?”

“Of course dear,” Bonnie answered, and raised an eyebrow when Hipp shut the door.

“I just got off of the phone with Jude and Nick,” Hipp said as she sat down on the comfortable couch.

“OH!” Bonnie exclaimed, “Is everything ok? They haven't called me, or at least I don't think they have,” she said as she looked around her desk for her cell phone.

“Mom,” Hipp said, trying to get Bonnie's attention as she frantically searched for her phone. “Mom! They’re fine, they just have to adopt another bunny along with Cotton and have chosen to adopt Iris.”

“Oh,” Bonnie said relieved. “You just had me worried; they have such dangerous jobs.”

“As far as I know, both of them are fine.” Hipp said. “But they wanted to offer me a job.”

“A job?” Bonnie asked.

“Yeah, well, they think I’ve been doing great with Iris and don’t want her therapy with me to stop,” Hipp explained.

“So you’re moving to the city as well then?” Bonnie asked.

Hipp looked shocked. “I told them I needed a few days to think about it. Just how can they afford that, Mom? Surely cops don’t make that much.”

Bonnie smiled at her. “No, their pay is quite horrible for the risks they have to take,” she agreed with her daughter. “You don't know much about your brother-in-law.”

“I have a lot of brother-in-laws, Mom,” Hipp said defensively. “But I know Nick is kind and generous.”

Bonnie smiled. “Then you know the important bits. If they offered you a job then they can afford it.”

“But how?” Hipp asked.

“Is it important?” Bonnie asked.

Hipp sat quietly for a moment. “No, I guess not.”

“So you’re going to take the job then?” Bonnie asked warmly.

“It’ll mean moving to the city,” Hipp said.

“You wouldn’t be the first,” Bonnie said. “Besides, it’s not like you’re going to be alone.”

Hipp nodded and looked over at the wall of pictures. “I’d be able to take night classes and finish my doctorate.”

“You should do it,” Bonnie said after a moment.

Hipp took a deep breath and looked over at her mother. “I think I will.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy sat her phone down. “That went well, I think,” she said before sliding out of Nick's lap and walking into the kitchen.

“She didn’t say no,” Nick agreed.

“She’ll say yes,” Judy said as she opened the plastic bag containing their Chinese take out.

“What makes you say that?” Nick asked.

“She's my sister; I could see her already weighing the possibilities. Plus, I think she's bored at home,” Judy said as she picked up the pair of styrofoam containers that held their meals.

“I could see that I guess,” Nick said, unbuttoning his shirt. The next sound Judy heard was the ripping of velcro and the thudding of the second chance vest falling to the floor. Nick sighed in relief as the extra weight was shed.

“You ok in there Slick?” Judy asked as she grabbed some silverware and walked back into the living room.

“Yeah,” Nick answered. His head leaned back against the back of the couch, his arms were stretched out on either side, and his feet rested on their coffee table.

“Comfy?” Judy asked as she put his meal into his lap and sat down beside him.

“It’s missing something fluffy,” Nick said as he opened his eyes.

“Well Mr. Fluffy, eat your dinner before it gets any colder,” Judy said.

Judy watched him eat out of the corner of her eye. The flash of sharp teeth as they tore into his meal didn't bother her, nor did the obviously happy fox sounds he made when he ate. Alone in the comforts of their home he was different than when they were out and about, less reserved and less guarded.

“So how are we going to deal with the housing problem?” Judy asked after a moment.

Nick shrugged. “Depending on how much time we have, we can always see if one of the neighboring apartments is free and renovate. I’m sure DJ would appreciate her own suite.”

“If not?” Judy asked.

“Well, we can always give our requirements to Daisy and let her see what we have available,” Nick answered between bites.

Judy looked to the windows. “I’d like a place with a view,” she said.

“I think you like living up high,” Nick commented.

Judy smiled. “It’s kinda like living in a reverse warren, but not so enclosed,” she said. “Besides, I like the way the sunlight looks in your fur in the morning,” she added.

“Why is that?” Nick asked as he looked to her from his meal.

Judy smiled. “It’s kind of silly,” she admitted. “But it makes it look like fire.”

“Well then, I shall endeavor to find us a place in the city instead of the Meadowlands,” Nick said.

“I’m not ruling out the Meadowlands,” Judy said. “It just needs a view.”

“And sunlight in the morning,” Nick added with a smile.

“And well insulated walls,” Judy said with a smirk on her face.

“Sound proofing,” Nick said meeting her gaze. “Wouldn't want to disturb the kits or your sister now would we?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy’s eyes slowly opened in the dim predawn light. The sunlight caught in Nick’s crimson and cream coat, setting it ablaze. She smiled as she nuzzled into his warm embrace enjoying, the few quiet moments in his loving arms.

Her paws gently sifted through the fur of his chest as she traced the muscles underneath. The beating of his heart thundered in her ears. That its pace was much slower than her own helped to highlight the differences between them.

“I love you,” she said softly, knowing he was still asleep.

Much to her surprise, Nick answered softly. “I love you too.”

She felt his paws gently squeeze around her as her eyes shut for just a moment, basking in his warmth.

“How long have you been awake?” Judy asked softly.

“Since you started to nuzzle me.”

“Oh, ummm…”

“Don't apologize; I kind of like it.” Nick said softly.

Judy was about to say something but was interrupted by the screeching of her alarm. Her grey paw shot over and silenced her phone. “We have to get up soon.”

“I know,” Nick answered and held her just a bit tighter. She felt the tip of his nose find its place between her ears. “I just like being here with you.”

Judy smiled. “I like it too; sometimes I wish this would never end.”

“Maybe after this is over we can take a real vacation,” Nick said softly. “Maybe you, me, the kits, and a tropical beach.”

“And Hipp?” Judy asked.

“If she wants to come along, sure.”

“You really think they’ll let us get away with a vacation?” Judy asked.

“Then maybe the farm,” Nick said after a moment.

“You want to go back there?”

“Sure,” Nick answered. “I think your father and I made some progress. Besides, for the most part, it's quiet there.”

Judy smiled. “Maybe we can set up a hammock and cuddle in the warm summer breeze,” she said.

“The kits can play in the yard.”

“After this case.”

“After this case.”

Judy stretched as she sat up in the bed. “Then we’d better get to it,” she said, sliding of the bed just as her phone started to ring. “Would you mind getting that for me, Slick? I'm going to go on and get in the shower.”

Nick picked up her phone and looked at the caller ID. “It’s Hipp,” he called to her as she turned on the shower.

“You already know what it's about! So talk to her,” Judy called back.

“Hey DJ,” Nick said as he answered the call.

“Oh, um, hey Nick,” Hipp said as the call connected. “Look, sorry to call so early, but I wanted to know if that job offer was still open.”

Nick chuckled and groaned slightly as he sat up. “Of course it is; we wouldn’t rescind the offer just because you didn’t say yes right away.”

“I want the job, but I have a few conditions.” Hipp said.

“I would be surprised if you didn’t,” Nick said as he walked down the hall to the kitchen.

“I would prefer a room in your and Judy’s warren if that’s ok. It will make things easier for when you two go to work, especially if you have to go in the middle of the night,” Hipp said.

“That’s ok with us,” Nick said as he turned on his coffee pot. “I hope you’re ok with living in a highrise, as Judy’s said she wants a place with a view.”

“That should be fine,” Hipp said. “I want to finish my doctorate in child education and psychology; I understand that on campus classes won't be possible but...”  

“You can take whatever online classes you want,” Nick said as he waited for his coffee to brew. “As a matter of fact, as part of your compensation package we’d like to help pay for them.”

“What? Why?” Hipp asked.

“You’re doing us a huge favor; the least we can do is make sure you’re well compensated for your time,” Nick answered.

“Ok,” Hipp said. “I will need to write a thesis and would like to use Iris for it.”

“Her identity will be protected, correct?”

“Of course. I would hate for anything to be traced back to her.”

“I’ll talk to Judy about it, but if you take proper measures to protect her identity then I have no issues with it,” Nick said as he poured his first cup of coffee.

“Then when do I start?” Hipp asked.

“When Judy and I pick up the kits,” Nick answered, taking a sip. “But living arrangements might be a bit tight for a little bit, depending on renovations needed to whatever place we get.”

“I live in a warren of rabbits Nick,” Hipp said dismissively. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Well then, I'm sure you'll think our couch is the lap of luxury then.”

“What? A whole couch to myself? Oh the decadence!”

Nick chuckled softly. “We still need to call Julia this morning and let her know of our decision on Iris.”

“Well ok, I just wanted to let you know I wanted the job.”

“Thank you, Hipp.”

Hipp paused for a moment. “Thank you for the opportunity. Give Judy my love.”

“You’re welcome, and I will do that.”

“Bye for now then,” Hipp said kindly.

“Bye for now DJ.”

“Well?” Judy asked as she came out of their bedroom. “How did it go?”

“We have our nanny,” Nick answered as he headed for the shower, coffee cup in paw.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Katylin Moss, age 42,”  Judy read from her work station inside the district attorney's office. “Currently serves as CEO and only official employee of Moss Computer Systems LTD.”

Nick whistled. “That's one good hustle,” he said with some admiration in his voice. “She’s pulling in close to $30.000 a month. Makes my $200 a day look like chump change.”

“So what's the likelihood that a prior receptionist has the computer skills to pull in $30,000 a month?” Judy asked.

“Is there a listed address?” Nick asked. “Perhaps we should take a drive by and see if anything fishy is going on from the outside.”

“It's in Savannah Central.” Judy answered. “We can call Julia while we are en route,” she said as she locked her work station.

“Yeah, she should be in her office now,” Nick said as he locked his work station and joined her as they walked out the office door.

“You excited?” Judy glanced up at him as they made their way through the hustle and bustle of the office.

“Staking out a mammal is hardly my idea of excitement, Fluff.”

“Not about that, you goof. About calling Julia about Iris.”

Nick smiled down at her. “A little bit; more nervous than anything.”

“Nervous, you?” Judy asked with a grin on her face. “Mr. ‘Cool As A Cucumber?’”

“Hey, wasn’t it you that told me that cucumbers are not inherently cool?”

Judy smiled up at him as they walked through the security door.

“Where are you two off to?” Amanda asked some what innocently.

“Off to stake out a bad kitty,” Judy answered.

“And call a social worker about a kit,” Nick added just before they left the outer office doors.

Judy shook her head at him. “You just love to antagonize her, don't you?”

Nick shrugged. “Maybe it's good policy to only give poorly trained government spies and/or moonlighting gossip columnists more questions than you answer.”

“I still think she's trying to be nice.”

“Then maybe we should invite her to dinner sometime.”

Judy blinked at the statement. “Wait, what? You would invite someone who you suspect is a spy into our home?”

“How else to get a judge of her character?” Nick asked at they waited on the elevator. “Whatever it is she's after, she isn’t going to get it by sitting at a receptionist desk reading our reports.”

“Maybe,” Judy said surprised. “Would you really invite her into our home?”

“Who said anything about cooking for her? There’s more than one way to share a meal, Carrots.”

Twenty minutes later the pair rode in their cruiser through the mid morning downtown traffic. The high rise buildings slid by mostly silently, with the odd honking of a horn to get some mammal moving again. Nick sat quietly with his phone in paw, looking down at it.

“Looking at it isn't going to get it done Slick,” Judy said softly.

“I know, Fluff,” Nick said just before he pressed the call button.

The phone rang four times before Julia’s voice filled the cabin of the car. “Good morning, Podunk Social Services, Julia Swifttail, how may I help you?”

“Julia, good morning, it’s the Wildes,” Nick said a little more cheerfully than he actually felt.

“Good morning Nick! I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. I take it you and Judy have made a decision?” Julia said warmly.

“We have!” Judy called from the driver seat.

“We have decided that we would like to adopt Iris,” Nick added.

“You are aware of her needs, correct?” Julia asked.

“We have a plan in place that should help accommodate her needs,” Nick said.

“We’ve hired Hipp to be our nanny,” Judy clarified.

“Really?” Julia said warmly. “That's wonderful! Than I shall get started on the paperwork right away.”

“What is the time frame we’re looking at for them being placed with us?” Judy asked. They could hear the rustling of papers in the background.

“I know it might be a little soon, but do you think you could pick them up by the weekend?” Julia asked. “We can have the placement orders done by Friday and I can meet you in Bunnyburrow, say early Saturday morning.”

“Is it ok if they share a room for a little bit?” Judy asked.

“That's fine; they can even share a bed for a time, as long as its large enough. We are aware of the rabbit tendencies to pile,” Julia answered.

“Ok then, Saturday should work; we’ll need the weekend anyway to get some temporary living arrangements worked out,” Judy said.

“We are already in the market for a larger place,” Nick added.

“Excellent; then I shall see you two on Saturday,” Julia said.

“See you then,” Nick and Judy said simultaneously before the line went dead.

“Wow, that escalated quickly,” Nick said as he looked down at the phone in his paws.

Judy smiled warmly. “And here you were being all nervous.”

Nick smiled and looked over at her. “I’m going to be a dad.”

“Wow, that just now occurred to you?” Judy asked as she rolled her eyes at him.

“Well, I always figured that they would find a way to say no.”

Judy looked over at him as he still stared down at his phone. Her ears folded down her back as she shook her head. “I love you,” She said, realizing the reason why he still expected to be told no.

Nick lifted his head and smiled at her. “I love you too Judy.”

“Are you sure this is right address?” Nick asked 15 minutes later as they sat across the street from a fairly nice house in a nice neighborhood. The houses all had fairly new cars parked in the driveways, and most either had well tended lawns or were landscaped with rocks due to the higher heat of ,Sahara Square.

“Yeah this is the registered address of Moss Computer Systems LTD.” Judy answered.

Nick pulled out his cellphone and his thumbs starting flying across the on screen keyboard. “This could just be her home address; lets see what Zoogle comes up with.”

“Find anything?” Judy asked as she watched the front of the house.

“Oh I found plenty,” Nick answered in an odd tone. “It would appear Moss Computer Systems LTD is tied with more than one… adult entertainment website.”

Judy glanced over at him. “Adult entertainment website?”

Nick grinned slyly. “Porn, Fluff,” he said, turning his phone so she could see.

Judy eyes went wide for a split second before she pushed the phone away. “Ok, ok, I get the picture. Any Bengal felines in that mess?”

“No, doesn’t appear to be any at all,” Nick answered before closing his browser. “I’m going to need some brain bleach before this is all over.”

Judy nodded and looked at house one more time. “That beach is starting to sound even better.” She sighed. “As far as I know, producing porn in one's home is not a crime.”

Nick looked thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe we should have Cor run the website though their database?” he asked. “If there are exploited mammals in there, maybe there would be a hit off of that.”

Judy nodded as she thought about it. “I wonder if he can modify his software to run through the missing mammals database as well.”

Nick nodded. “Good idea; if the models were too young, the sites would have been reported and taken down by now. But there’s one question this doesn't answer.”

“What's that?” Judy asked as she started their cruiser and pulled away from the curb.

“She's making cash deposits,” Nick said. “As far as I know, you can’t pay for this in cash.”

Judy nodded. “So where is the money coming from?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey guys,” Clawhauser greeted them as they walked into the lobby of Precinct One. He didn't seem his normal chipper self. His ears were splayed out and he rested his many chins on the palm of his left paw.

“Hey Spots, why do you look so down?” Nick asked.

“Yeah Clawhauser, you look like someone ate your last doughnut,” Judy said.

“Somebody did,” Clawhauser huffed. “Me.”

Judy looked up at Nick before she looked back at Clawhauser. “But it’s only just after 10am; you typically still have half of your second dozen right now.”

“Yeah, and on your second bowl of Lucky Chomps. What’s up?” Nick asked.

“Chief Bogo said I needed to lose some weight or he’d have to replace me on the front desk,” Clawhauser said dejectedly. “And in order to help me with that he’s taken charge of my snacks. This afternoon I’m limited to one doughnut and peanut butter and celery!”

“Well then, look on the bright side,” Judy said kindly. “You’ll have more money for Gazelle merchandise.”

“Yeah, doesn't she have a new album coming out soon?” Nick asked.

“I already got it; she sells advance copies to her fan club members.”

“How much weight does Buffalo Butt want you to lose then?”

“Fifty pounds by the end of summer, otherwise I’ll get put back into records.” Clawhauser answered as he slumped even more into his chair. “Give me something else to think about, please?”

“Well…. We get to pick up our kits on Saturday,” Judy said with a smile.

“Oh my goodness!” Clawhauser squealed. “So soon?”

“Yeah, it’s kinda surprising to us how fast they’re moving forward with our adoption process as well.” Judy said.

“Ohhhh, its gonna be so cu….” Clawhauser caught himself. “I mean adorable! Wait, you said kits; you’re adopting two now?”

“Yeah well, there’s a state statute that governs the number of kits for some species,” Nick answered.

“So are you guys adopting another one of your young brothers or sisters?” Clawhauser asked Judy.

“No; remember that kit that Nick went and saw?” Judy asked.

“The one he got out from the mad mammal’s basement?” Clawhauser eyes lit up. “Really? That one? OOoooo!” The ear piercing squeal from the tubby cheetah caused the typical drone of the office to die down. “I am going to want pictures, lots and lots of pictures!” He shot Nick a glare. “And I don't care how embarrassing they are, I want pictures.”

Judy smiled up at Nick. “Oh I’ll make sure you get pictures,” she said. “My mom is going to want pictures too, so he might as well get over it now.”

“Maybe you can come over for dinner some night after everything is settled,” Nick offered.

“Really?” Clawhauser asked, the surprise clear in his voice. “You would invite me into your den, warren, whatever you two call it?”

Judy looked up at Nick just as surprised. “Sure, why not? It’ll need to be after we move, but it should be fine.”

“We would love to have you,” Judy said as she turned her attention from Nick to Clawhauser.

“Anyway, we need to head down and talk to the good mammals of the TIU,” Nick said. “We’ll arrange something soon, Spots.”

“Thanks guys!” Clawhauser said a bit more cheerfully than when they came in.

Judy looked up at him as they entered the elevator. “That was very kind of you Slick,” she said with pride in her voice.

“He’s been our biggest cheerleader,” Nick said as she looked down at her. “Can’t stand to see that big goof sad. Besides, can you imagine the mess if he actually started to cry?”

“I think he did at our wedding, and it wasn't pretty then.”

“Nope, but I hear he won enough off of the betting pool on us to get backstage passes to a Gazelle concert,” he said with a smile on his face.

Judy shook her head as they stepped out of the elevator. “So what are they currently betting on?”

“Daniel Wolford and Alicia Fangmeyer,” He answered.

“Oh? What are they betting on?” Judy asked.

“If she’ll give him a chance or punt him and ask for a new partner.”

Judy thought about it as they walked down the hall. “I think she'll give him a chance.”

“According to Clawhauser, he asked her out just before Christmas.”

“Ohhh, that might make things a bit awkward,” Judy said as she grimaced. She looked up at him as they neared the TIU. “She shot him down, right?”

Nick shrugged. “That remains to be seen.”

“Has Clawhauser spread it yet?” she asked, confused.

“I think she took him up on it and they’re being rather discrete about it.”

“Well then, they’re doing a better job than we did,” she stated flatly.

“Discrete, Carrots, just isn't our style,” he said with a wink as he opened the TIU office door for her.

The office space was filled with the furious clicking of mechanical keyboards as mammals went about their duties. There were greeted by the weasel skull sign with monitors in the eye sockets and crossed keyboards in a caricature of a pirate flag. Underneath someone had replaced the “Abandon all hope” sign with a newer sign that read “Hope begins here.”

“Cor!” one of the office mammals yelled. “You got wild visitors!”

A moment later Cor poked his head out of his office door. “Wilde visitors indeed. Come in you two.” Judy stared for a moment; he had changed his contacts for ones that covered his eyes in solid black. It oddly made him look like a demon from some cheap TV show.

The office that they stepped into seemed cleaner, less cluttered than before. Most, if not all, of the gutted PC’s along the back wall had been removed. A small box sat on the floor with cellphones in evidence bags, with a few more on Cor’s desk plugged into various USB cables.

“How can we help you today Detectives?” Cor asked after they had sat down into chairs across from him.

“We’re looking into a website,” Judy started.

“Another one?” Cor asked.

“This one is seemingly legit,” Nick answered.

“Seemingly?”

“Well, Nick found that the operator has been making cash deposits for over $10,000 every two weeks. The site in question caters to….” Judy huffed slightly as her ears burned red. “Adult entertainment.”

“We would like to see if you can run the site through your software against, say, the missing mammals database,” Nick said as he leaned back in the chair.

“As well as the Interpol and whatever other international databases you’re able to access,” Judy added.

Cor’s face changed as he thought about it for a few minutes. “I believe that’s doable, but due to the size of the data set we’re talking about, it’ll take some time for the server to run it all.”

“How long are we talking about?” Judy asked.

“Minimum, at least a week.”

“Any way we can speed up that process?” Nick asked.

“Only if you can convince Chief Bogo or the powers that be over in city hall to allocate us more money for equipment,” Cor answered.

“That's a no then,” Nick said with a sigh.

Cor chuckled. “Sorry, they only give me antique equipment at best to do what we do down here. I will need any details of the site you want us to check out.”

“It’s being run by Moss Computer Systems LTD,” Judy read from her notes.

“The owner is the prior receptionist for the DA’s office,” Nick added. “It's a host of sites, all under the Silkyfur domain name.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skye sighed as she looked out over the city and the setting sun. Her white and fiery orange fur were set ablaze by the dance of colors.

“No Don,” she said, holding her cell phone in her left paw while her right slowly twirled a glass of red wine. “I do not want to do any more fur scenes. I am much more than just my body; I am an award winning actress in my own right!”

“But Skye darlin’,” her agent said.

“Don’t you darling me, Don,” Skye said threateningly.

“Ok fine, toots,” Don said back at her, his voice clearly displaying his annoyance. “While yes, you have won awards, most of those awards have been won beside Savage. While his ship has fully sunk, yours is riddled with holes.”

“Meaning what Don?” Skye said annoyed.

“You’re damaged goods toots; everybody suspects how close you and Savage truly were and getting you parts at this point is getting harder,” Don said annoyed.

“But surely you can do better than a stripper love interest in a tawdry action flick?” Skye asked. “That's the part of the newly found….”

“You might as well be,” Don said. “Jack managed most of your parts himself, to the point of having you written into his contracts. Say what you will about that striped rabbit, but he was good at business.”

“Maybe not good enough.” Skye grumbled. “Is it really the best you can do?”

“For now, yes.”

“Fine, send me the script; maybe there’s something compelling about this character after all,” Skye said almost growling.

“I’m sorry Skye, I didn't think they would move to replace you on the Savage Sea films,” Don said.

Skye sighed. “The damage has been done; just send me the script.”

“You’ll have it shortly,” Don said just before he hung up.

Skye tossed her phone onto the couch and sighed as she took a sip of her wine and looked out over the city. _Getting parts isn’t the only thing that’s gotten hard,_ she thought to herself. Dad won't talk to me. _Says I should have warned Nick and Judy. At least my mothers still talk to me._

She watched as the city skyline slowly lit up with white lights and neon as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. It almost feels like the sun is setting on my career, she thought to herself as she walked across her apartment to the bottle of wine resting in a bucket of ice on the kitchen counter. She was pouring herself another glass of wine when her cell phone started to ring.

She frowned at the sound of it as she carried her wine back across the room and picked up her phone and pressed answer.

“HELP!” came a voice from what seemed like another lifetime. “She's been drinking! Help, help please…”

Skye frowned. “Jack?”

“Ohhh bunny buns!” Skye heard from the other end of the call. “Now don’t you be playing hard to get any more,” Skye’s eyes went wide as she heard the sound of claws screeching on hardwood floor.  

“No!” she heard Jack’s voice saying. “I don't want this! Please leave me alone.” She winced as she heard what sounded like a fist connecting and moments later air being driven from lungs. “Nooooo,” She heard Jack say one more time. “Help,” he said meekly.

“No one is coming to save you so just take it,” she heard a female voice dripping with malice slur over the phone just before Skye cut the call and looked down at her phone, her paws shaking.

She quickly dialed a number and held the phone up to her ear. “911 what’s your emergency?” she heard after two rings.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This looks like a good place.” Nick said in the passenger seat. “Four bedrooms, one of them a mother-in-law suite so it has its own bathroom and even a little kitchenette. Might need a bit of renovation work for us.”

“How much?” Judy asked.

Nick waived his paw. “It’s a property owned by Cornaton-Wilde so we won't get charged for it,” Nick said. “We’ll just be trading our current apartment for this one. But we will have to pay for the renovations.”

“Does it have a view?” Judy asked.

Nick scrolled on his phone a bit more. “Daisy says it has a view of the Canal District and the bedroom windows face the east to catch the morning sun.”

“Sounds nice.”

“Do you want to set up a viewing?” Nick asked.

“Might as....” Judy started.

“Zulu Two Four Zero, Dispatch, what's your twenty?” came the crackle over the radio.

Nick looked at Judy surprised before he picked up the pawset. “Dispatch, Zulu Two Four Zero, we are on Watering Hole just passing eighth; we are 10 42.”

“Understood, Zulu Two Four Zero. All other units are currently occupied; we have report of a possible 10 16 or 10 10 at 2050 Watering Hole Apartment 901,” the voice on the radio informed them.

Judy’s heart dropped and her eyes went wide. “Nick….”

“Understood, Dispatch Zulu Two Four Zero responding.” Nick answered.  

“Nick, that's Jack’s apartment,” Judy said quickly as he pressed the button for the emergency lights to start flashing. She shot a glance over at him as he stared straight ahead.

She heard him take a deep breath and let it out. “It's fine,” he said tensely.

Judy nodded as she navigated their cruiser through the path made in traffic by the flashing red and blue lights. So much for a quiet evening, she thought to herself.

“Zulu Two For Zero, Dispatch,” the radio crackled to life.

Nick picked the pawset back up. “Go ahead Dispatch.”

“Building security knows you’re on your way.”

“Roger Dispatch, Zulu Two Four Zero out,” Nick said coolly into the pawset.

The drive to the building passed the rest of the way in silence. “Building on the left across the intersection,” Nick told her. Judy nodded as she pulled in front of it.

Nick’s paw shot across the space of the cruiser and grabbed hers just before she undid her seat belt. “Hey,” he said, making her look up into his eyes. They seemed normal given the circumstances. There was an ever so slight pointing at the top and bottom of each of his irises, though. “I love you.”

Judy smiled. “I love you too.”

“Now, let's go see what your crazy ex got himself into,” Nick said as he let go of her paw and undid his seat belt.

Judy nodded and breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the smirk starting to form on his face.   She got out and made her way around to the passenger side of the cruiser. The flashing red and blue lights lit up the face of the building as she locked the cruiser’s doors with the keyfob. A part of her felt an odd sense of deja vu as they quickly made their way up the steps to the building entrance. True to Dispatch’s word, an aging possum in a blue jacket with security stenciled across the back met them at the door.

“Officers?” The aging possum asked as he opened the door for them.

“Detectives; we were the only unit able to respond at the moment,” Judy answered.

“Right…” The possum gave Nick a look of distrust as Nick followed Judy through the building foyer toward the elevators.

“You’ll need the key for penthouse access,” the possum said as Judy pressed the call button.

“Right,” she said as the doors opened and Nick followed her inside the elevator. They watched as the aging possum shakily inserted a key then pressed the button for the penthouse.

Nick felt a sudden lurch as the elevator suddenly shot up the shaft toward the penthouse suite. If it phased Judy she didn’t let it show. Once the elevator stopped, the doors opened to a short hallway with red velvet carpet and dark brown mahogany wainscoting below stark white paint.

Nick let out a low whistle of appreciation as he followed Judy toward the double doors at the end of the hall.

Judy’s tiny fist pounded against the door in rapid succession. “Police, open up!” she yelled. Both of Judy’s ears stood ramrod straight, almost as if she could hear what was happening on the other side of the door way.

The hackles on the back of Nick’s neck started to rise and he put his right paw on his side arm underneath his jacket. Judy’s fist pounded into the door three more times. The door opened just after Judy got done pounding on it.

The glassy brown eyed chocolate colored doe greeted them, wrapped in a robe that was a little on the large size for her.

“Can I help you officers?” the doe asked, her voice thick with either the effects of sleep or some form of intoxicants.

“We got a call of a domestic dispute and an assault in progress,” Judy informed the other doe.

The does eyes went from Judy to Nick to the aging possum that stood a ways down the hall. “Well officers, as you can see I’m fine.”

“Is there anyone else in the residence this evening?” Judy asked as Nick’s smirk went smug.

“Uhhh, no…” the doe said.

“Really? The Department of Corrections has this listed as Jack Savage’s home; if he's not home then we might have an escaped prisoner on the loose,” Judy said before turning slightly and looking up at Nick. “Detective Wilde, will you please call the dispatch and see where Mr. Savage’s ankle monitor says he is?”

“Sure thing Detective Wilde,” Nick responded as he pulled out his cell phone.

“Ohh, I don't think that’s really necessary,” the doe said quickly. “I thought you meant someone that mattered; that animal is in his room.”

“Well then, you wouldn’t mind us coming in and doing a wellness check on Mr. Savage now would you?” Judy said with an amount of smug in her voice that made Nick proud.

“Ummm can you come back in the morning? We were in the middle of…”

“Ma’am, by state statute 36-2903, any police official can make a wellness slash accountability check on a home arrest prisoner at any time of day. Asking if we can come in was merely a formality. Now, if you would be so kind as to step away from the door.”

Nick slipped his cell phone back into his pocket as Judy shouldered her way into the apartment with Nick following in her wake.  His nostrils flared slightly with the very light coppery tang of blood.

“You just can't…” the doe started to yell.

“Judy,” Nick said. “I smell blood.”

“Oh, ummm…” The doe started to look panicked. “Jack dropped a glass and cut himself just a bit ago…”

Judy’s paw went to her taser. “Can you check it out? I'll keep her here.”

Nick nodded. “On it.”

His claws clicked on the polished granite floor as he slowly followed his nose. The deeper into the apartment he got, the more he smelled blood. He frowned slightly. _From the  smell, it’s not life threatening amounts of blood,_ he thought to himself as he made his way toward a door. _The real scents in the apartment are of two bunnies, so I'm reasonably sure that Jack is alone in there._ His right paw drifted to his side arm as his left slowly turned the door knob.

“Help….” came the faint mewing, near pitiful sound as the door cracked open. Nick pushed the door wider, not yet stepping into the dimly lit room. Only the lamps on the night stands were on. The room held the strong musty odor of sex, with an undertone of blood.

Nick’s eyes locked on the one leg that stuck out from under the bed as it tried weakly to push the rabbit farther under the bed. His eyes narrowed slightly as his lips pulled back in a silent snarl.

“Help,” came the desperate whimper. It was pitiful, almost as if the mammal making it had been beaten half to death and wasn't fully aware of what was going on anymore.

“Mr. Savage?” Nick asked in what he hoped sounded neutral.

“Help, please, please, please.” The rabbit under the bed broke down into sobs.

Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, hitting the quick dial for Dispatch.

“ZPD Dispatch, badge number please?”

“573824,” Nick responded as he pulled the blanket off of the bed and down onto Jack.

“Ok Detective Wilde, you're responding to a domestic problem?”

“Yes; we need a bus for one small mammal, extent of injuries unknown, possible rape victim, male. Also, inform Department of Corrections of movement of one Jack Savage to Zootopia General.” Nick watched as Jack curled into a ball underneath the blanket. It did little to quieten the rabbit’s sobs.

“Ok ambulance is on its way, as well as CSI to your scene; we will route units to your location as soon as possible. Anything else?”

“Not at this time.”

“Dispatch out,” the mammal at the other end said as they disconnected the call.

“Judy!” Nick called from the bedroom. “Arrest her.”  He looked down at the rabbit still half under the bed; he could already hear his wife reading the chocolate colored bunny her rights. He stared for a few moments at the quivering pile of blanket, torn between feeling hate and pity for the rabbit underneath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10-42 End of Shift  
> 10-10 Fight in progress  
> 10-16 Domestic Problem


	17. Episode 17: Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning, the fluff is real in this chapter.
> 
> Also this chapter marks one dull year of Savage Days.

# Episode 17: Family

“Roll on Roll on Roller Coaster  
We're one day older and one step closer  
Roll on there's mountains to climb  
Roll on we're on borrowed time  
Roll on Roller coaster”  
Roll on ~ Kid Rock

“Nick,” Judy said quietly as she pushed against his shoulder. “Nick wake up, we’re almost there.”

“Just five more minutes….” Nick said sleepily as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tight to his chest.

“Silly fox, five more minutes and you'll be on your way back to Zootopia,” Judy said and pushed against him. “Then you’ll be a sad mopey fox, as you wouldn’t be here for in the morning.”

Judy smiled as he opened his eyes and stretched, letting her go. It's not that I blame him, she thought to herself. Between investigating Katylin Moss, managing Cunningham, and then Jack's… Judy shuddered just a bit at the thought. Incident. Work has demanded a lot more time, and most of that just spent in paperwork.

She looked out the window at the pitch black night. The dim lights of the train kept her from seeing too far outside. She pulled out her cell phone and looked at the time. Close to midnight. I just hope Mom sends someone to pick us up or it's going to be a long walk to the farm.

“The secret has been kept, right?” Nick asked, smacking his mouth dryly.

“Yes, no one knows about us coming to get the kits other than Mom and Hipp, and they haven't told anyone.”

“I find it amazing that a secret has been able to be kept in your family’s warren.”

“Well, it's pretty easy when only two in the warren know what's going on. Matter of fact, Hipp didn’t start packing her stuff until after Cotton went to bed.”

“Is she bringing much?”

“Not really; she said she’ll have a suitcase and maybe a box with some books, her notes on Iris, and a few stuffies.”

Nick smiled. “Thankfully you bunnies travel light.”

“We’re going to have to help Cotton pack in the morning then go pick up Iris.”

“Hipp told Iris she's being adopted, right?” Nick asked.

Judy nodded. “Just not who though; she decided that could be left as a surprise. But she felt it best to help Iris get ready for a big change in her life.”

“Good. I look forward to seeing her face in the morning when she realizes that she’s going to get to come home with us,” Nick said.

“I bet there’ll be tears,” Judy shrugged when Nick looked down at her with a grin. “What? Bunnies can be emotional.”

Nick reached under his seat and picked up their overnight bag as the train started to slow to a halt. “So can foxes, or so I hear.”

“Well I didn’t say whose tears it would be now did I Slick?” Judy said playfully as she gave him a gentle tap on the arm with her small fist.

Nick smiled down at her. “More than likely all of us if we’re being honest.”

Judy took a deep breath and nodded before standing up as the train came to a halt. The train was nearly deserted, as it was the last train to Bunnyburrow and from there on to Podunk for the night. The platform was even emptier; it only held a lone bunny which Judy hoped was their ride.

Hipp smiled tiredly as they stepped off of the train. “Hey guys, did you have to catch the last train out here?” she asked.

“Sorry DJ, but paperwork kept us from being able to catch the one at 5,” Nick said.

“Yeah, we’ve been near drowning in it this last week,” Judy added.

“I can imagine,” Hipp said. “The news was pretty vague, only saying that Jack had to be taken to the hospital.”

“He's still there,” Judy said. “They’re having to keep him under observation at the moment.”

“Is there something wrong with him?” Hipp asked.

“Sorry DJ, we can’t comment on an ongoing investigation,” Nick said as they walked toward the truck.

“Besides, Jack has asked for privacy right now.”

Judy sighed. “We’ll need to talk to the DA about Hipp signing a non-disclosure agreement; she's bound to hear things about what we work on at home.”

“Do you really think that would be necessary?” Hipp asked.

“It would be more to protect you than anything,” Nick said. “Judy and I discuss a lot of work at home; some things we can only discuss there, since we’re not sure who we can trust.”

Hipp shook her head. “But you guys are cops…” she started

Judy sighed. “The sad reality is not everyone wants to make the world a better place. Some just want to get ahead by any means necessary.” She smiled as they neared the old farm truck.

“Are you two sure you want to bring kits into this?” Hipp asked as she slid behind the wheel of the truck. Nick held open the passenger side door for Judy.

“If we wait for the perfect time for kits that might never happen,” Judy said as she slid into the middle of the bench seat.. “And well, I would say Cotton and Iris need us now, not when it's convenient for us or for the city.”

Hipp looked over at them as Nick shut the passenger side door and leaned his head against the window. His eyes were closed before she even got the truck started. “Long day?” she asked as she started the drive toward the farm.

“Long week,” Judy said. “This case is hard, and the emotional toll has been pretty high. I’m starting to think Nick is right and we need to go to a tropical island.”

Hipp cocked her head to one side. “That sounds like fun.”

“See Fluff,” Nick said quietly. “I told you DJ would be up for the beach.”

“Only if I'm invited as well,” Hipp said.

“Of course,” Nick said sleepily. “Kits can build sand castles and we can teach Iris to swim and I'm sure somewhere there’s a lounge chair and a blueberry smoothie with my name on it.”

Judy rolled her eyes and shook her head at Nick. “Are you sure this isn't some ploy to see beach bunnies in bikinis?” she asked him.

“Only one beach bunny I care about,” Nick said as he draped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her against his side.

“Are you two always this sappy?” Hipp asked as she drove toward the farm.

Judy started to respond when Nick cut her off. “Yes, absolutely 100%,” Nick said. “Only time we turn off the sap is when there are bad guys to be caught.”

Judy shook her head and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.

“I think it's sweet,” Hipp said. “Reminds me of when Mom and Dad were younger.”

“How are they doing?” Judy asked.

Hipp shrugged. “Mom’s lonely but stubborn as always and refuses to go out to the large mammal guest quarters to be with him. She's been sleeping with Cotton this past little bit, but I think Mandy is going to keep Mom company for a bit.”

“And Dad?” Judy asked.

“He’s been seeing Dr. Cropton,” Hipp shrugged. “I guess we’ll see if it helps any.”

“He’s a good mammal,” Nick said, much to the surprise of the two does in the cab of the truck.

“Even after all the things he's said about you?” Hipp asked.

“Based on what I’ve seen and what he told me the last time we were here? Yes.” Nick opened his eyes and looked outside. “I mean, how long have bunnies used foxes at the boogey mammal? What were your grandparents like on his side of the family?”

“Oh, gods…” Judy started. “’Eat your beets Judith or a fox will come and snatch you up!’” she said in a mimic of an old rabbit.

“Yeah, Grandma and Grandpa were pretty set in their ways,” Hipp agreed.

“Remember the time Grandpa ran Bobby off of the farm?” Judy asked.

“Yes, and I remember you tried to arrest him and he took you over his knee for it.”

Nick raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. “Based on that, just given the fact that he is willing and trying to change makes me think he's a good mammal.”

“But Mom didn't turn out that way,” Hipp said. “And look at Pop-Pop.”

“I think that's because Mom had a fling with a predator in high school,” Judy said.

“She didn’t!” Hipp exclaimed.

“Mmmhmmm, told me about it when I started dating Nick.”

Hipp cocked her head to the side. “Well I guess you inherited more from Mom than her eyes.”

“Nick…” Judy shook him. His eyes must have drifted closed. “We’re here. Come on sleepy fox, let's get you to bed.”

Nick’s eyes opened and he nodded as he opened the passenger side door. “Sorry Carrots, must have fallen asleep. “It’s ok, we had a long night last night or day or something.”

Nick picked up their overnight bag from the bed of the truck and followed her into the warren. Not much had changed, Nick noted to himself as they made their way down to their room.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The light knocking sound on their door woke Judy. She had a momentary fit of panic while she was wrapped up in her fox; the room wasn’t theirs in the city. She closed her eyes and took a deep but shaky steadying breath. She stretched and started to untangle herself from Nick as she sat up on the bed. The knocking at the door drew her attention once again.

“Eep!” came Judy’s startled squeak as her sleep addled mind was not yet ready for the quickness of Nick's paws as he pulled her back down into his embrace. Nick let out a content sigh and a slow sleepy rolling purr filled the air.

Judy’s ears perked up as she heard their door open. “Jude? Nick? You guys need to get up; Julia will be here in about 45 minutes,” came Bonnie’s voice.

Judy could hear her mom’s quiet footsteps as she walked closer to the bed. _Great, now my mother is going to see me snuggled by a fox like a stuffie,_ Judy thought to herself.

 _Sweet cheese and crackers! DO WE EVEN HAVE CLOTHES ON!?_ Came the next panicked thought as she patted herself and realized she still had her work clothes on. Ugh, I hope we packed a change of clothes…

Her mind flashed back to when they’d trudged out of their office the day before….

“Thirty-six hours, Fluff! Never thought there would be so much paperwork in my life,” Nick complained.

Judy nodded in agreement. “Well, I guess with the media breathing down Mayor Coltson’s throat and the Department of Corrections wanting to know what happened as well…”

“At least one good thing came out of all this though,” Nick said with a yawn.

“Nick, nothing good came out of this. I know what he tried to do to me, but I don't think he deserved that.”

“Oh relax Fluff, I'm not saying Jack deserved what he got, even if maybe he did. But the look on officer Roarson's face when you tossed that strap-on up on the counter to be checked in?” Nick said. “That, that was priceless.”

Judy shook her head and tried hard to suppress a grin. The lion officer in evidence lockup had had his back turned to them when Judy tossed it up on the counter so she could grab one of the tablets to do the paperwork. When he turned around, his curiosity got the better of him and he poked it with a claw, which caused the thing to vibrate. Officer Roarson about came out of his fur at that point.

“Well I guess its not everyday a vibrator is logged in as an assault weapon,” Judy said.

How many hours ago was that? Judy asked herself as she shook her head to clear away the memories.

A hushed, “Aww….” further pulled her from her memories as her eyes opened just in time to see the flash of her mom’s phone as it took a picture in the dim lighting.

“Mom,” Judy said in a hushed tone. “Please tell me you just didn't take our picture like this?”

“A mother should never lie to her kits Jude, so I won’t,” Bonnie said as she hopped down off of the bed. “But Julia will be here in less than 45 minutes so you two need to get up and maybe make yourselves presentable.”

Nick groaned and whined, “Just five more minutes, Moooom.”

Judy’s eyes widened as she realized that he was awake. Her eyes moved to her mother, who cocked her head to one side for a moment and smiled.

“Nicholas dear, I know you’re tired, but you need to get up or you'll be late for picking up your kits,” Bonnie said kindly as she walked out the door, shutting it behind her.

Nick kissed Judy between the ears and sat up on the bed and stretched. “Hey Fluff, do you remember if we packed a change of clothes or not?”

She blinked at him. “I honestly don't remember.”

“I hear you Fluff. I barely remember getting on the train much less than coming to bed,” Nick said as he stood up and walked over to where their overnight bag had been dropped on the couch.  
Unzipping the bag he found nicely folded clothes and their toiletries bag. Picking up the toiletries bag he turned to Judy. “Care to join me in the shower, Mrs. Wilde?”

Judy looked at him surprised. “You don't even know what you did, do you?”

“What, call Bonnie Mom?” Nick asked as he started to unbutton his shirt.

Judy nodded as she slipped out of the bed and started to get ready to shower as well. “Rabbits take family very seriously Nick.”

Nick smiled. “I noticed; foxes are the same way.”

“Well don't be surprised if she starts calling you ‘Son’ and bothering you about grand kits,” Judy said as she walked toward the bathroom to start the shower.

“Well, I think we got grandkits taken care of with Cotton and Iris,” Nick explained as he followed her.

“Do you really think she'll be happy with just two Slick?” Judy asked over her shoulder and started to giggle at him when he paused for a second.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick sighed with pleasure as Bonnie sat a cup of coffee in front of him and a plate of blueberry pancakes hot off the griddle with lots of butter and maple syrup.

“Here you go…” Bonnie started to say then paused, giving him a grin. “Son.”

Judy shook her head. “I’m going to to go get some breakfast as well.”

“Just sit down, Judes. I’ll bring you some pancakes and tea too,.” Bonnie said.

Judy looked at her mom in shock as she sat down beside Nick and leaned over to whisper to him. “I think you broke my mother.”

Nick shrugged as he stuffed another mouthful of pancakes into his mouth. “She does make a good stack of pancakes.”

“Nick, you don't understand; she only gets her kits food if they’re still in diapers,” Judy said quietly.

Nick shrugged. “Maybe she understands how worn out we are?”

Judy looked up at him. “Maybe.”

“Here ya go, Judes. Some blueberry pancakes and a good morning blend of tea,” Bonnie said, putting an equally large stack of pancakes in front of Judy with a steaming cup of tea.

“Thanks Mom,” Judy said.

“Yeah, these are great; thank you!” Nick mumbled around a mouthful of pancake.

Bonnie smiled as the warren intercom system rung with the sound of a door bell.

“Oh, that’ll be Julia! I'll bring her right down. You two just enjoy your breakfast,” Bonnie said as she moved off quickly to get the door.

“See,” Judy said from around a mouthful of pancake as she leaned closer. “You broke her.”

“You sure it was me, or the fact that she's gaining a grandkit today?” Nick asked before taking a sip of coffee. “You know, for mammals that can’t drink coffee your family makes a really good cup of it.”

A few moments later, Julia followed Bonnie into the dining room. “Sorry, they’re still having breakfast,” Bonnie apologized for them. “They didn't get in until almost 1 a.m. last night.”

“Oh, it's perfectly alright Mrs. Hopps,” Julia said as she walked in. She was a stark contrast to Nick and Judy. Nick and Judy were wearing what they considered work clothes, minus their sidearms, badges, and sport jackets. Julia wore faded blue jeans and a black t-shirt with a pink JEEP logo with the words “Jeep girls like it muddy” underneath. The only thing official looking she carried was a black briefcase.

“Good morning, Julia,” Judy greeted, while Nick smirked at the other fox’s shirt.

“Good morning, Mrs. and Mr. Wilde,” Julia greeted in return.

“Would you like anything to drink, deer?” Bonnie asked. “We have a pot of coffee, tea, or even some juice.”

“Orange juice would be wonderful if you have it,” Julia answered as she sat down and opened the briefcase. She looked over at them and smiled as she pulled out two equally thick folders. The folders had tabs sticking out of them at various and numerous places. “Oddly enough, there’s more paperwork for placement than there will be in about six months for the actual adoption,” she explained. “You’ll get to keep one copy of this paperwork, which will give you the legal means of seeing to the kits’ health and anything else that may require you to prove legal guardianship.”

“Ok,” Judy said as she glanced over at Nick.

“There are 32 places that both of you have to initial and six places you both have to sign,” Julia explained. “After that, you’re parents,” she said with a smile.

“This will allow us to add them to our insurance as well, correct?” Judy asked as she took one of the stacks of paperwork. She patted her pockets and sighed, realizing she’d left her carrot pen on her desk at work. “Can I borrow a pen?”

“Yes, it will allow you to add them to your insurance. I actually recommend that you go down to Mammal Resources first thing Monday and add them,” Julia said as she handed each of them a pen.

Sometime and two refills of Nick’s coffee cup later, Julia handed them one of the folders of paperwork in a manila envelope. “I'll get this scanned into the system Monday so it’ll be in the official record, but those will suffice for anything that comes up in the meantime. Congratulations, Mrs. and Mr. Wilde! Now, shall we collect your kits?”

Judy placed their copy of the placement forms into a manila envelope and wrote “kits placement paperwork” on it before returning the pen to Julia. She looked to Nick and smiled before looking back at the smaller fox. “Yes, let’s.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cotton sat on what used to be her bed. A small suitcase sat at the foot of the bed with a small box full of games, stuffies, and other things. A little larger backpack sat with a stuffed fox whose head was poking out of the top and her tablet. Her bedding had been stripped from the bed hours before by the laundry crew. Some of the bunnies in the warren had stopped talking to her; others pretended she didn’t exist. She looked to the bedroom door nervously.

 _Gramma said they’d come get me after the adult stuffs is done, she reminded herself as she waited nervously. I want Uncle…_  She stopped herself mid thought. _Is he my dad now?_

Her ears perked up as she heard a noise in the hall and saw Nick walk into the room with a smile on his face.

“Hey there, Cottonball.” Nick greeted her.

Cotton looked up at him, her big brown eyes glassy with emotion. “Unc….” She paused and looked at him uncertainly before she asked, “Dad?”

Nick's ears folded flat against his head and he nodded. “Yeah Cottonball, I guess I am your dad now.”

Cotton slid off of the bed and sprinted across the small room, leaping at him with a squeal of “Daddy!” as she flew the last few steps to the fox.

Nick caught the flying bunny and held her tightly to his chest, his large paws cradling Cotton protectively. The feeling in his chest was near indescribable as the bunny hugged him tighter. Her paws gripped his shirt as sobs racked the young rabbit’s frame.   

Nick’s eyes closed as he held her.  His ears perked slightly at the telltale sounds of the camera on Judy’s phone clicking away.

“I…I love you, Daddy,” Cotton said softly into his chest.

Nick sighed and planted a kiss between the bunny’s small ears. “I love you too, sweetheart. SO much it's scary.”

“It's scary?” Cotton asked softly.

“That's because your daddy is a big emotional fox,” Judy said, stepping in close to the two and hugging the pair of them.

Cotton turned her head and looked down at Judy. The pair’s eyes locked for a moment before Cotton said softly, “Mom.” She wiggled her way around and wrapped her arms around Judy's neck. “I love you, Mommy,” she said against Judy's neck as Nick's tail wrapped around the two bunnies.

“Come on,” Judy said after a few minutes. “We need to get your stuff in the truck.” She smiled up at Nick.

“Right,” Nick said smiling. “We still have to go get your sister.”

“Sister?” Cotton asked confusedly.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iris sat on the living room couch and smoothed the skirt of her dress, which was a vibrant shade of green, for the fiftieth time. She glanced around nervously. _Today is the day_ , she thought to herself. _Please let them be nice, please._ Her heart rate started to increase as she glanced around the room again. _Everything is too big in here,_ she thought. _I don't like being in the living room._

She glanced to her right to see her small suitcase and a small box with her Robin Hood book given to her by Mrs. Woolverton and the few toys she actually played with. Her blanket had been folded and placed in the box as well.

Her ears perked up as she heard a car come up the drive. “You ready?” Mrs. Woolverton asked kindly.

Iris shook her head.

“What are you afraid of?” Mrs. Woolverton asked, smiling.

“What if they’re mean?” Iris asked softly.

“You know they can't be mean,” Mrs. Woolverton reassured her. “They hired Hipp to continue to help you.”

Iris nodded, but still fidgeted. “Are they nice?”

Mrs. Woolverton smiled as she looked out the window. “You'll have to tell me, because they’re here. Do you think you can meet them outside?”

Outside is still pretty scary, but I do like sitting in the grass with Cotton. She sighed. I’m gonna miss Cotton, and Detective Wilde never came back… Why didn't he come back?

“I'm gonna miss Cotton,” she said as she slid down off of the couch and straightened her already straight skirt once again.

“IRIS! IRIS!” came Cotton's extremely excited voice from outside.

“You better go see what she wants, deer,” Mrs. Woolverton said with a smile as she opened the front door for Iris.

It took her a moment to adjust to the blinding light of the late morning sun while Cotton bounced her way up the stairs.

“Iris!” Cotton exclaimed excitedly as she captured Iris’s paws. “We’re sisters!”

“Sisters?” Iris asked. “But I'm supposed to meet my new parents today.”

“IRIS!” Cotton exclaimed, “They adopted you too!”

“Who…” Iris started to ask when she turned her head slightly to see Judy and Nick come up the walkway toward her.  Her bottom started to quiver. He came back!

“Hey there, Snowball,” Nick greeted her. Followed by “Hello, Iris,” from Judy.

“Y-y-you came back,” Iris said softly as she looked up at Nick.

“I said I would, didn't I?” Nick asked. “Been keeping up on your walking?”

Iris nodded.

“Make a friend?”

Iris nodded.

“What about a sister?” Nick asked as Judy smiled down at her.

“Sister?” Iris asked.

“It’s typically what you would call a female sibling in the same family,” Judy explained.

Iris looked to Judy, still not fully understanding.

“Do you think Cotton would make a good sister?” Nick asked.

Iris nodded.

“Well then, what do you say we gather up your things and go home?” Judy said kindly.

“Home?”

“Well yeah, a close family typically lives together,” Judy said. “You can't be this young and not live with your sister and parents.”

“And while Cotton there is being your sister, I guess Judy and I can be your mom and dad,” Nick said.

“Family?” Iris asked softly.

“Would you like that?” Judy asked.

Iris nodded as tears started to streak down her face. “Please?”

Nick walked the rest of the way up the stairs and gathered Iris up in his arms. “Ok,” he said softly. “We’ll take another cute bunny home with us today.”

Iris’s paws grabbed the fur on the back of Nick's neck and held on tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered softly.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick stood in the doorway to the second bedroom. Cotton and Iris laid curled up together in the center of the bed. He leaned against the door frame watching the kit’s sleep. He could hear Judy and Hipp’s conversation in the living room but he paid no attention to it.

I wonder if this is how Dad felt when they brought me home, he thought to himself.

“Nick?” Judy asked softly, startling him a bit and pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah Fluff?”

“You know they’re not going to go anywhere, right?”  He felt her arms wrap around his waist.

“Yeah, I know.”

“You’re such a dad already, I saw you in the park watching over them, trying to play it cool.”

Nick smiled. “It was a good day.”

“It was, and it was also a good way to introduce them to the city and wear them out for bed,” she said as his tail wrapped around her ankles.

“Ice cream helped as well.”

Judy giggled softly. “Yes, ice cream helped. What kit doesn’t like ice cream?

He looked down at her and smiled. “Thank you Judy.”

She smiled up at him. “For what, Slick?”

“You took this poor world beaten fox and gave me something that I didn’t think I would have again after Mom passed away.” His arms wrapped around her and held her close. “You gave me a family.”

Judy smiled up at him. “You did the work Nick. I just nudged you along the way.”

“That you did Fluff. But still, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She rested her head against him. “Thank you too, though; you showed me that there’s more to the world than just being a cop.”

Nick smiled at her. “Come on, “Judy said softly. “Hipp and I want to talk about these properties that Daisy said are available.”

“Ok,” Nick said as he let Judy lead him back to the living room. He took one last look over his shoulder toward the kits’ room before walking with her to the living room.

“Hey DJ,” Nick greeted Hipp as he entered the living room. She sat in the armchair with her laptop in her lap. “Judy hook you up with the wifi password?”

“Yeah, we were using it to look at the places that you forwarded to Judy,” Hipp said.

“That's what Judy was saying; you find a place in there you like?” Nick asked as he settled into the couch.

“I really liked the place downtown,” Judy said as she sat beside him and pushed her way up under his arm. “You know, the one with the bedroom that looked to the east?”

Nick nodded. “I figured that's the one you would choose.”

“Well...” Judy said sheepishly.

“There’s also a place in the Meadowlands that has a yard and is on top of a hill,” Hipp explained. “We looked it up on Zoogle Streetview and it's pretty nice.”

Nick felt Judy nodding against his side. “I saw how much the kits liked being outside and I think it would be good for them if they could go out without it needing to be a special trip to a park or something.”

“A safe yard would do Iris a world of good,” Hipp added. “And would give them ways to burn the boundless energy that bunny kits have.”

Nick looked down at Judy. “But I thought you wanted a view?”

“It looks like it has one overlooking the Meadowland Memorial Park,” Judy said. “At least we could go look at it.”

“We probably won't be able to go look at it until next week,” Nick said. “Daisy isn't in the office tomorrow.”

“That's fine, but we do need to go look at some more appropriately sized bedroom furniture for the girls, and maybe new beds.” Judy said.

“Actually, for a little while I think it would benefit Iris if they shared a bed, so maybe something that’s a little easier for the pair of them to get in and out of,” Hipp said.

“Why is that?” Judy asked.

“Iris’s younger years were not like yours and mine,” Hipp started to explain. “We slept in a pile and formed connections with our siblings with scent at our earliest moments in life.”

“So having them share a bed will help her form a connection with Cotton?” Nick asked.

“That is the hope,” Hipp said. “Eventually, she’ll bond with those that care for her and about her, but she has to be shown what that means.”

“So Cotton will lead by example?” Judy asked.

Hipp nodded. “Iris will watch how Cotton interacts with you two and how you interact with them. It's going to take a lot of love, understanding, and most of all patience,  but she will come around.”

“Ok then, one bunny sized bed for two and a set of dressers for now then?” Nick asked.

“Can you get me a dresser, and maybe a privacy screen as well?” Hipp asked nervously. “I don't mind sleeping on the couch for the time being, but a place to store my clothes and a little bit of privacy at times would be nice.”

“Ok,” Nick answered. “We’ll have to see if we can find anything that you like.”

“Something that I like?” Hipp sounded surprised.

“Mom and Dad typically got our bedroom furniture,” Judy said.

“Yeah, whatever was cheap and could be bought in bulk.”

“Well, that's understandable I suppose when dealing with a family of several hundred. But we are not several hundred, we are five, and you can choose your own things,” Nick said.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy woke slowly the next morning, much the same way she did every morning, warm safe and content. Her back pressed against the warm and comforting embrace of Nick. There was something else it took a moment for her sleep addled mind to figure out what it was. Her eyes opened as she lifted Nick’s tail. She was greeted by two sleeping faces almost piled on top of each other. The two bunny noses twitched in their sleep. The faces, one a pale brown and the other snow white, were relaxed and peacefully asleep.

She smiled and gently laid Nick's tail back over them and sighed softly in contentment. Her eyes closed again, not really wanting to disturb anyone. She was suddenly glad she had insisted that they wear something to bed, even if for Nick that only consisted of a hideously bright green pair of loose fitting boxers. Slowly moving her arm, she draped it over the bunnies and held them close.

 _Family,_ she thought to herself. _We are an oddly mixed together family, but family. Cotton, the only surviving kit of my twin sister’s. Iris, the kit that survived against all odds._ She shuddered slightly at the memories that Iris’s rescue brought up. She lifted her chin slightly and looked up at Nick. _Bunnies and a fox? Who would have thought?_ she asked herself.

 _Years I have avoided this,_ she thought to herself. _Mom and Dad wanted me to settle and settle hard._ The memories hurt a little bit at the lack of support that she received for her dream. She closed her eyes tightly as she remembered how hurt Cotton had looked when she’d left for the academy and then later when she’d moved to the city. The pain was quickly overshadowed with how she felt when Cotton had called her Mom for the first time. She opened her eyes and looked down at the bunnies once again. _Who would have thought though, a fox in a bunny family?_ She smiled and looked up at the fox once again. _Wouldn’t want anyone else anyway._

Nick paw moved lazily as he draped his arm across the rabbits, his nose worming its way between her ears and planting a soft kiss there. “Morning,” he whispered sleepily and groggily.

“Morning. Told you we would have visitors.”

“They still asleep?”

“Mmmhmmm.”

“Good. I'll get up in a minute and make pancakes.”

“And whipped cream?” asked Cotton. Iris grumbled slightly and turned over so her back was to them as she curled up in a ball, trying to get the last little bit of sleep.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hipp woke to a mouth watering aroma and giggling, lots and lots of giggling. She sat up on the bed, her blanket falling to the wayside as she looked over to the kitchen. Judy, Cotton, and Iris sat in a row on stools at the breakfast bar. The younger two were giggling as they tried to lick a white dollop of whipped cream off their noses. All three sets of bunny ears were upright and for the most part trained on the mammal in the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled as as she stretched.

“You better hurry up with those pancakes, Slick; another hungry bunny is about to join us and you can only keep two of us occupied with whipped cream nose boops,” Judy said playfully.

“Rawr! Ferocious bunny!” Cotton exclaimed playfully.

“Boop!” Nick exclaimed as he placed a dollop of whipped cream on Cotton's nose.

“What’s this about….” Hipp asked as she sleepily climbed up on one of the stools.

“Boop!” exclaimed Nick as he placed a dollop of whipped cream on Hipp's nose. Cotton and Iris laughed hysterically as Hipp went cross-eyed looking at the white fluffy cream on her nose.

Hipp wiped the sugary substance off of her nose with a finger, then licked the finger. “Wow, this is really good! Where do you get it?” she asked.

“He makes it himself,” Judy explained as Nick flipped another pancake with a flick of his wrist.

“I thought Mom was only exaggerating about his cooking,” Hipp said as she looked at Nick thoughtfully. Nick smiled as he placed the glass jar of maple syrup into the microwave for a few seconds and started to plate the pancakes for the bunnies.  

Nick leaned against the kitchen counter as he watched the four rabbits tear into the plates of pancakes, berries, whipped cream, and nearly pure sugar. He popped a blueberry into his mouth as he thought to himself, Reminds me of a documentary I saw once on piranhas.

Bunanhas? he asked himself after seeing random flashes of buck teeth and sometimes hearing rather vocal appreciation for his cooking from the younger pair. He popped another blueberry into his mouth as he smiled. Yep, bunanhas.

And here we see the vicious bunanhas devouring their morning prey, the commentary kept playing his head. Crikey, wouldn't want to be that pancake. The voice in his head sounded a lot like Steve Irwing.

He turned and poured more batter into his hot frying pan and waited as the pancake cooked. And here we see their captive fox trying desperately to keep from being their next meal.

Judy looked to to see the very amused smirk on Nick's face. “What's so funny, Slick?” she asked between mouthfuls of pancake and whipped cream.

“Bunanhas,” he answered with a chuckle.

“Bunanhas?” Iris asked.

“Bunny piranhas!” Hipp exclaimed, “Nom! Nom! Nom!” as she tickled Iris’s side, causing the younger rabbit to almost fall off her stool.

“Nom! Nom! Nom!” mimicked Cotton as she devoured the rest of her pancakes. “Daddy?” she asked, her eyes looking somehow three sizes bigger as she looked to him then her empty plate. “Can I have some more?”

Nick looked at Cotton and Judy laughed as his ears pinned back and his pupils narrowed. It reminded her if when she blackmailed him into helping her with the Missing Mammal Case.

“Yeah Daddy, can she have some more?” Judy teased.

“Of course she can; Daddy Fox doesn't want to get eaten by the bunanhas,” Nick said as he slid two more pancakes onto Cotton's plate.

Cotton looked up at him and smiled. “Silly Daddy, bunanhas don't eat daddies,”

“They don't?” Nick asked with a smile on his face.

Cotton shook her head. “Nu-uh.”

“Then what do they do?”

“Come here,” Nick bent closer to her over the counter top.

Cotton reached up with her sticky paws, pulled him closer, and gave him a peck of a kiss on the side of his long muzzle. “Love you, Daddy.”

Nick smiled and ruffled her ears a bit. “I love you too, Cottonball.”

Judy smiled at the pair and looked over at Iris. Iris watched and looked confused.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iris sat in the afternoon sun with her back against the couch. Her blanket was built up in a strong fortification around her as she flipped through the pages of her Robin Hood book, as if she was looking for the answer to the world’s greatest question inside. Perhaps she was.

Nick lounged on the couch, typing out email replies to Daisy. Judy and Hipp had taken Cotton with them to pick out furniture. His ears perked up as he heard Iris sigh in frustration.

“Something wrong, Snowball?” Nick asked, putting aside his phone and unfinished email.

Iris looked up at him and studied his face for a few moments before looking back down at her book. She shook her head, not really wanting to bother him.

“You can talk to me you know,” he said kindly.

She nodded and went back to flipping pages in her book. “The answers you seek might not be in that book,” Nick said. “Robin Hood is a good book, but ultimately it’s a story. Granted it’s a large part of vulpine history and culture but it is, in the end, a story.”

Iris looked up at him and then back down at her book. “Mr. Wilde?” she asked softly, like she was afraid she would get in trouble for talking to him.

“Yes, Snowball? You can call me Nick if you want.”

She studied his face again then looked down at her paws. “What is love?”

He slowly sat up and reached down to pick her up and sit her down beside him on the couch. “That's a hard question to answer, Iris,” he said. “Love is one of the most complicated emotions we have.”

“You love Cotton.” Nick nodded in agreement.

“You love Mrs… I mean Judy.” Nick nodded in agreement again.

“Why?”

Nick smiled down at her. “Love is one of those emotions that makes no sense, Snowball. It's one of those things that will drive a mammal to do both great and terrible things to get and keep it. It doesn’t see what we are on the outside, but what we are on the inside.”

“Inside?”

“In our hearts, who we truly are.”

Iris frowned and looked down at her paws.

Nick thought about it for a moment and smiled. “Let me tell you a story.”

Iris’s eyes lit up as she looked up at him.

“You know Maid Marian?” Nick asked.

Iris nodded. “She helped and married Robin Hood”

Nick nodded. “Maid Marian is the daughter of Karma, who is probably one of the most important gods of all canines next to the moon,” he started to explain.

“The moon is a god?” Iris asked.

Nick shrugged. “It's what some wolves believe. Vulpines, or foxes, though? Karma is more important. Karma is the keeper of balance, the settler of scores; she is universally regarded as a fox because only a fox would keep balance in the tricky ways she does.”

“Is she nice?” Iris asked.

Nick shrugged and smiled. “In her own way I suppose. Karma had lots to do. Keeping balance is a hard job in its own right, so she created mothers for the canines. Fox Mother is Maid Marian. The Maid gave each of her children something special. Some she gave an overly innate sense of curiosity, others she gave a deep sense of empathy that they protect with gruffness.”

Iris looked up at him, her eyes full of wonder.

“To the red foxes like me? She gave us something very special: she gave us the ability to love unconditionally. Some might even say she twice blessed the red foxes, as not only did she give us the ability to love, she made us red to show it.”

“Unconditionally?”

“Means without exception; we love those that are close and important to us no matter what.”

“Even me?” she asked in a very small voice.

“Especially you. I love you no matter what, no matter what you do or where you go. Judy and I will always love you.”  

“But Judy isn't a fox.”

“No she is not, but she is now and will always be your mom, and guess what?”

“What?

“Mothers love their kits no matter what and always,” Nick said as he thought about his mom.

“Nick?” Iris asked pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Yes Iris?”

“I think I love you,” she said softly.

“I love you too, Snowball,” Nick said as he pulled her into a hug.

Judy was unsure what to expect when she opened the door of the apartment and encountered silence. A pin drop could have been heard for all the noise that wasn't coming from inside. The late afternoon sun streamed into the window, painting the living room in warm rich colors.

“Nick?” she called quietly as Hipp and Cotton followed her inside. Her ears laid down her back as she let out a quiet. “Aww.”

Nick was stretched out on his back on the couch. His paws sat curled protectively over the curled up sleeping form of Iris. The small bunny laid on Nick's chest, her paws gripping the front of his t-shirt.  Nick's head was tucked in close to the bunny, his mouth ever so slightly open.

She quietly pulled out her cell phone and snapped a quick picture before sending it to her mom.  Looking up, she smiled as his eye cracked open to look at her. “Well look who’s up, sleepy head.”

Nick smiled and looked down at the bunny. “Yeah well, I had to do some hard work today.”

“Hard work? Or hardly working?” Judy asked playfully.

“She asked me about love,” Nick said as he carefully sat up and moved the bunny from his chest to a cushion of the couch.

“Well I'm sure you handled it with grace and snark,” Judy said.

Nick smiled slightly as he looked down at the kit. “I told her about Karma and the Maid, and how a fox's love is unconditional, and how a mother’s love is the same way. I also told her that we’ll love her no matter what or where she goes, that she’ll always have us.”

Judy started at Nick stunned. “Wow, Slick. I’d say that you handled that rather well.”

“Daddy!” Cotton squealed and ran across the room with a shopping bag in tow.

Nick let himself fall back against the couch when the small bunny launched herself into his chest. “I missed you Daddy,”  Cotton mumbled into his chest.

“I missed you too, sweetheart,” Nick said as he kissed Cotton between the ears. “What ya got in the bag?”

“Picture frames!” Cotton said excitedly. “Mommy said we needed some.”

Judy smiled. “Our walls are too bare, Slick; we should have family photos up on the walls.”

Nick smiled as he remembered Bonnie's walls of pictures in the warren. “You’re not going to hear me complain.”

Iris sat up on the couch, blinking and stretching.

“Good nap?” Nick asked.

Iris blinked sleepily as her stomach rumbled.

“Sounds like somebunny is hungry,” Judy said.

“Rawr,” Cotton said in a mock savage bunny growl.

“Rawr,” Iris mimicked.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So… how was it?” Judy asked as they climbed into bed together.

“How was what?” Nick asked as he pulled her against his chest, his body half wrapping around hers.

“Your first full day as a dad?”

“It was interesting,” Nick said after a moment. “I wouldn't have changed it for the world.”

Judy smiled. “It was nice going out with Hipp and Cotton.”

“I wouldn’t miss any of this for anything in the world,” Nick said softly.

I’m glad to hear you say that,” Judy said as she snuggled against his chest.

“She told me she loved me.”

“Who, Iris?”

“Yeah.”

“Aww,” Judy squealed. “That's sweet!”

“It was,” Nick smiled and then frowned. “Ugh, tomorrow is Monday.”

Judy nodded. “Between Nigel, Moss, and Jack we have a lot on our plates.”

“Do you think Jack is really going to continue to be our problem?” Nick asked. “I mean, we already arrested his… assaulter”

Judy grimaced. “Probably not. We’re a little too close to that case anyway, with Jack being my ex, and I think if we’re still assigned it we should ask for it to be transferred.”

Nick laid quietly, lost in thought. “We’re going to need to be even more careful now, Carrots.”

“Why is that?” Judy asked as she looked up at him.

“Because we have more to lose now.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skye stood still, looking in at the rabbit curled into a ball on the bed. The hospital staff had dimmed the hall lights some time ago. It didn't feel that long ago that she’d looked in on this rabbit to gloat. Gloating at the moment would feel wrong, she reflected as she looked in at the rabbit.

 _I could have easily left him to his fate,_ she thought to herself as the hospital room door opened and a middle aged hare nurse stepped out.

He looked up at her. “You can go in you know,” he said.

Skye looked down at the hare. He was light brown with a white underbelly that stretched up under his lower jaw. He wore dark blue scrubs, and his dark brown eyes were almost the same color as milk chocolate. “We’re having to keep him sedated for the time being. So he might not even realize you’re there.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Skye asked.

“Physically?” The hare looked back into the room. “Broken orbit, broken tail, three broken ribs. Stress fracture of the cartilage of both ears and very minor gastrointestinal perforation.” The hare sighed and looked up at her. “He hasn’t eaten since he got here and won’t speak to the hospital staff. We’re keeping him hydrated by IV and trying to keep him comfortable.”

“You probably shouldn’t have told me that,” Skye said. “Won't you get in trouble?”

The hare shrugged. “You’re the only one that has come to visit him in the four days he’s been here, and next of kin information has been removed by administration.” The hare looked back into the room and shook his head. “You should talk to him, or at him, while you have a chance.”

Skye stared into the room for a moment as she processed the information.

“Either way, I have rounds to do. Have a good evening, Miss,” the hare said just before he turned and walked away.

She put her paw gently on the door handle and stepped into the room. The faint beep of Jack's heart rate monitor was the only sound that greeted her. He subtly tried to shift farther away from the door. “Jack?” she asked softly.

“Jack?” she asked again a bit louder as she shut the door behind her.

She walked over to the bed and looked down at him: the scars across his face and his ears both wrapped in bandages and splints.  He laid perfectly still, his eyes closed, not even his nose twitched the way it used to when they slept together. The only way to tell he was alive was the steady beep of the heart rate monitor and the rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed.

She stared for a few moments before reaching down to run a paw pad gently over his cheek. The tempo of the heart rate monitor went wild as Jack's eyes shot open. They weren’t the charismatic sapphire orbs she remembered, but the sickly pale white ones left behind by Nick's claws.

“Jack?” she asked softly.

He settled noticeably. “Skye?” His voice was hoarse.

“Yes.” Silence stretched between them. “How did you call me?”

He swallowed dryly. “She dialed the number. Would have gotten Judy in on the call too if she hadn’t changed her number or blocked me.”

“I see. Why?”

“Because I’m a monster, a dumb bunny.” He swallowed. “It wasn't the first time.”

“Where is your mother?”

“I don’t have one.” She watched his face as he tried to remember something. “She disowned me after….”

She watched his face grimace as his stomach rumbled. “So is that your plan then?” she asked. “Starve to death? Give up?”

“I’m nothing more than a potted plant on a good day.”

“What about your therapists?”

“She said they dropped me, that I'm a lost cause and they have better patients to help.”

“And you actually believe that?”

He shrugged. “Does it matter? I’m alone now Skye.”

She stared at him. I’m going to regret this.

“If you weren’t, would you eat?”

He laid still. His nose twitched, but he nodded.

“You have to do better Jack.”

“How?”

“I don't know yet, but we’ll figure it out,” she answered as she pressed the nurse call button. She sighed as she sat down into a chair at his bedside. _Sometimes maybe even a monster deserves an act of compassion,_ she thought to herself.    


	18. Episode 18: Bad Kitty Part Deux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this one took so long to get out. I got most of the way through it hated it scraped I would say a good 70% of what I had written and ended up producing this. 
> 
> There are two more chapters left of season 2.

# Episode 18: Bad Kitty Part Deux

“When you were eight  
And you had bad traits  
You go to school  
And learn the golden rule  
So why are you  
Acting like a bloody fool  
If you get hot  
You must get cool  
Bad boys, bad boys  
Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do  
When they come for you?  
Bad Boys ~ Inner Circle

Nick sighed as Cotton’s arms wrapped around his neck followed quickly by Iris’s. “Love you.” the girls said in unison. Nick's arms wrapped around the pair of bunnies.

“You two be good good for Hipp, ok?” Nick asked.

“’Kay,” They said as they pulled away and wrapped Judy up in a large hug of her own. 

“Maybe this evening we'll do a movie and something.” Judy said as she hugged the kits.

“Ice cream?” Iris asked.

“Ice cream!” Cotton exclaimed and hugged Judy tighter. 

“We’ll see,” Nick said as he stood up. 

“Be safe guys,” Hipp said from the kitchen.

“Do you need any spending money before we go?” Judy asked.

“No, we are going to stay in today; plus the furniture store is coming to deliver our new stuff and take the old bed away,” Hipp replied.

“Right,” Judy said and looked up at Nick. “Well, come on Slick, let's go make the world a better place.”

Nick smiled and followed Judy out of the door. 

“I think we should go to Precinct One and see what Cor dug up,” Judy said as they neared the elevators.

Nick nodded. “Good first step; if he found anything we can take it from there over to City Hall and get Mr. Fisher to get us a warrant,” Nick said. 

Judy looked up at Nick who was looking back down the hall toward their apartment. “They will be ok.”

“I know, it's just…” 

“I know how you feel Nick,” Judy said as she grabbed his paw and pulled him into the elevator. “My sister will look after them and they will be fine, you’ll see when we get home tonight.”

“You’re right Fluff,” Nick nodded.”Want to stop for coffee?”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“SQUUUUUEEEEEEEEE!” came the shrill cry of Clawhauser when he spotted them as soon as they walked through the doors of Precinct One. “Did you guys get them? Are they as cu… I mean, adorable as you two are? How was your first day as parents?” Clawhauser rapid fired questions at them just before stating. “Pictures, now.”  

Judy grinned as she pulled out her phone and pulled up the picture gallery before pawing it over to Clawhauser. Nick smirked as he watched the tubby cheetah look down at the rabbit sized phone. 

Taking a sip of his coffee he asked. “Have a good weekend, Spots?”

“I had to trade a day with Bruce so I worked yesterday, as I need to take this Friday off.” Clawhauser said. “O.M.G., look at that little thing all curled up on Nick's chest. Who would think Mr. Foxy McCool would be such a softie.”

Judy snickered. “Foxy McCool, I'm going to have to remember that. There are a few there that my mom took as well.”

“Aww…” Clawhauser squealed and turned her phone to show her the picture her mom had taken of her and Nick on Saturday morning. “Now that's just the most adorable thing I have ever seen. Who would have thought little Miss Tough Bun could have a softer side?”

“Oh she's a regular Power Powder Fluff,” Nick said with a smirk. 

“Says the fox who was looking forlornly down our hall this morning wanting to go back to his kits,” Judy shot back.

“He was?” Clawhauser asked.

“Yep, was half afraid we were going to have to call in sick because he wouldn't leave them,” Judy said. “Even with my sister there to watch them.”

“So you see them as your own already?” Clawhauser asked seriously.

“I….” Nick thought about it for a moment. “I do. But our relationship with Iris is going to need some time.” His face lit up with a genuine smile. “She did say she loved me yesterday.”

“Really?” Clawhauser asked.

“Nick is already a good father,” Judy said as she reached up for her phone. 

Clawhauser pawed it back over to her. “I want copies of some of those pictures,” he told her sternly.

“Of course,” Judy said cheerfully. “Well Slick, if we want to get home to our kits at a reasonable time tonight we need to head down to the TIU.” She turned and started to head for the elevators. “See ya around Clawhauser!” she called.

“Right you are Fluff,” Nick said as he turned to follow her, giving Clawhauser a wave as they made their way to the elevators.

“See ya guys!” Clawhauser called after them.

Nick pulled out his phone as they waited for the elevator and raised an eyebrow.

“What is it?” Judy asked.

Nick took a cautious glance around. “Looks like the party favors were delivered last night.”

Judy frowned for a moment. Oh… Nigel… she thought to herself. “Anything else?”

“Supplier is looking for a bigger order,” Nick answered as they stepped into the elevator.

“We’re going to need to talk to Bogo,” Judy said after the elevator doors shut.

“More than likely; we're going to need more to hang these guys with, or we can go after the low hanging fruit,” Nick said.

She shook her head. “We agreed that the low hanging fruit isn't worth it. We need to figure out how to bring him to the attention of the higher ups.”

Nick looked up as the elevator doors opened. “A conversation for another place.” 

Judy nodded as they walked down the hall toward the TIU. “Do you mind if I share any of those pictures with Clawhauser?” 

“Of course not.” Nick grinned at her. “But I want the one of us snuggled in bed to use as my new lock screen.”

Judy huffed. “I can’t believe you did that.” 

“Hey, I can't be held responsible for what happens when I'm half asleep.”

“And calling my mom Mom?” she asked.

“Does it bother you?” Nick asked, stopping in the hall. 

Judy looked up at him and her eyes softened just a bit. “No; honestly, Mom is on cloud nine.” She looked away before looking back up at him. “I love that you feel my family is your family as well.”

“They are Judy, even the ones that don’t like me so much,” Nick said as they turned and started to walk back toward the TIU. “I wish I could’ve talked to Stu while we were there this weekend.”

“Yeah, it was a fast trip,” Judy agreed. “Wish we could’ve stayed longer.”

“I’m just glad Bogo and Fisher agreed to let us go with the Jack thing and our current caseload,” Nick said as he pushed the TIU door open for her. “Say what you will, but I think Bogo is a big softie at heart.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that or you'll have parking duty for a year,” Judy said seriously. She looked thoughtful for a moment. “But if you got parking duty in Tundratown, your winter coat would come back in and you would be extra fluffy again.”

“I wasn't fluffy,” Nick said defensively. “I just had extra shag is all.”

“Well ok Mr. Shaggy, let's go talk to Cor,” Judy said as they started to walk through the TIU.

“Cor is in his office!” one of the office minions shouted to them from the cubicle farm.

“Well, well, well,” Cor started as they neared his office door. “Look who’s darkening my doorstep once again.”

“I would say your office is sufficiently darkened without us,” Judy quipped.

Cor cracked a grin. “I think, Detective, that you’ve been around Nick a little too much.”

“Well she did marry me, so I was bound to ru…” Nick started before he was violently yanked down by his tie to look his wife in the eyes.

“IF you finish that sentence Slick, you won't be doing anything for a while.”

Cor grinned. “She's good for you Nick. Please have a seat.” 

“That she is,” Nick agreed as Judy let go of his tie.

“Did you find anything about the mammals on that website?” Judy asked as she climbed up into a chair.

Cor nodded. “We ran all of the website that we could through our facial recognition software.” He frowned and looked away.

“How many hits?” Nick asked.

“It would be easier to say how many didn’t turn up as hits to the software,” Cor said as he clasped his paws in front of him. “There are ten…” He paused for a moment.  “Let’s just call them actresses, that are questionable.”

“Questionable how?” Judy asked. 

“Well, they don't show up in any missing mammal databases, but they also don't show up in the DMV database.” He sighed. “That in and of itself isn’t necessarily a red flag as not all of the DMV databases are connected across the country. But there are a staggering amount on that website that have been listed as missing in the last five or six years.”

“So basically mammals that would now legally be over the age of consent?” Nick asked.

Judy frowned. “Well if they're over the age of consent now, then there should be employment paperwork filed,” she said. “As far as I know, making… adult entertainment in the city is not illegal.” 

“Just to be clear,” Nick started. “How many of the actors and actresses were flagged as possibly missing?”

“Of the 140 free video clips that we could scan that showed any sort of shot of the head?” Cor asked.

Nick and Judy nodded. “Almost all.”

Judy swallowed. “How many mammals are we talking about?” she asked.

“As far as we can tell, between 15 and 20. Most of them are female, but there are one or two males in the mix and a few that could be mammals with dyed fur but our software can’t adequately tell, and streaming quality video is poor at best,” Cor answered.

“Can we tell where the video was shot like with the GPS info from the kit pictures?” Nick asked.

“No. They stripped the GPS data, but with the background lighting and room layout we can tell it was done somewhere in Savanna Central. We ran the room images with public real estate postings and found matches in places in that district,” Cor explained.

“How certain are you that the mammals in the videos are the same ones from the missing mammals databases?” Judy asked.

Cor shrugged. “About as certain as anything when you're dealing with aged up photo’s of kits. But if I had to put a number on it, I’m about 75% certain that the mammals in those videos went missing years ago.”

Nick looked down at Judy. “Think it's enough to get a warrant?” he asked.   

Judy looked thoughtful before she answered. “Even if we only find one of those mammals? I think we need to try.”

Nick smiled. “I agree.”

“Have you already written up a report of your findings?” Judy asked Cor.

Cor smiled at her. “I have.” He picked up a folder off of his desk and pawed it over to her. “I hope you two find them and they're whole,” he said solemnly before looking up at Nick. “I think you know why.”

Nick nodded once to Cor as he stood up. “I do.”

Cor studied Judy for a moment. “Nick can tell you.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?” 

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Cor said before he turned back to his computer.

“Come on, Fluff., Nick said as he started to walk out of the office. She looked up at him expectantly. “Not here, ok?” he said. “It’s Cor’s story and he more than likely wouldn’t be appreciative of it being spread around the office like cheap gossip.”

Judy nodded. “Does it have bearing on our case?” she asked. 

Nick looked thoughtful for a moment. “A bit; it might explain why he's always so helpful in these things, but not directly, no.”

“Ok, then,” Judy said as they made their way back through the building. “Do you think we can do pierogies for dinner tonight?” 

“Mmmmm, want to introduce your sister to your favorite food?” Nick said with a smile.

“Yes, absolutely,” Judy said. “I know Mom tried to make them at one point, but according to my brothers and sisters they didn't turn out like yours.”

Nick smiled and looked down at her. “Well if I had known I would have given her the recipe.” 

“Really?” Judy asked.

“Of course I would give Mom the recipe to your favorite dish,” Nick said to her with a wink. 

Judy shook her head and lightly punched him in the arm. “Silly fox,” she said as they made their way through the parking garage. 

He smiled down at her. “Beautiful bunny.” Her ears tinged red a bit and she folded them down her back to hide her blush at his compliment. “So, about Cor?” she asked as she climbed into the driver's seat of their cruiser.

Nick sighed as he climbed into the passenger seat and buckled his seat belt. “It's not so much about Cor as it is about Bunny, his significant other,” he started to explain.

“Let me get this straight; Cor, a wolf, is in a relationship with a rabbit?” Judy asked in surprise as she started the cruiser. “Sweet cheese and crackers Nick, we should have them over for dinner!” 

“One moment Carrots. Bunny isn't a rabbit she's a coyote,” he explained.

“So Bunny is just her nickname?” she asked as they navigated through the parking garage.

“I dunno,” he answered. “Cor introduced her as Bunny, so it could be her name or just her nickname; no idea, and I didn’t dig into it to much. But he did say that when he first met her she was as skittish as a bunny.”

“Why?”

“Well, when Cor and Bunny met she was in a pretty bad way. She came from an abusive home and ended up being exploited.” He sighed. “She ended up as an ‘actress’ on a cam site.“

“I guess that does explain why he's been so helpful in our cases,” Judy said. 

“Some of those sites pay their girls rather poorly while raking in tons of cash, and some?” Nick shrugged. “Some amounts to modern day slavery.”

“I’m taking it that's the kind of place where she was found?” 

“From what I’ve gathered from Cor? Yes.”

“That's horrible, Nick!” Judy exclaimed.

“In some places in the world it's perfectly legal.”

“It shouldn’t be.”

“On that Judy we agree 100%,” Nick said. “No one should ever make their living from another mammals suffering.”

Judy looked thoughtful for a moment. “Do you think 20 mammals could fit in that house?”

Nick shook his head. “Not comfortably. Hell, if you stacked them in the bedrooms there wouldn't be enough room for living and recording space too.”

“So they would need some place else to house the mammals,” Judy said, thinking out loud.

“If they got warehouse space, I bet they could build sets so that the house is only used for, say, legal purposes.” He could feel her eyes on him as he glanced her way. “What? If I was doing this it's what I would do.”

Judy glanced over at Nick as he looked out the cruiser’s window. “Nick, it's ok; I know you wouldn’t do this, we covered it months ago.  So with that said, how would we go about finding out if she has a warehouse somewhere?” 

Nick looked over at her and smiled. “All real estate, even most rental agreements, is recorded online. It’s to help property developers find who owns what property. I bet if Miss Moss has a warehouse then it's been recorded.” 

“So we can search the database at the office?” Judy asked.

Nick smiled slyly. “We can’t, no, but I know of someone who can.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy looked around the rather plush and upscale waiting room she found herself in 30 minutes later. If she hadn’t seen “Cornaton-Wilde Holdings” emblazoned on the side of the building, she would have believed that they had stepped into a high priced lawyers office. 

“Hey Charles,” Nick greeted the badger at the desk. “Is Daisy in yet?” 

“Ummm yes, Mr. Wilde; should I tell her you're on your way back?” Charles responded. 

“Charles, this is my wife and partner, Judy,” Nick introduced her. “How is your husband?”

Judy smiled at the surprised look on Charles face. “He’s well sir, I shall tell him you send your regards, and it is a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Wilde.” 

“It’s nice meeting you too Charles,” Judy said warmly.

“Would you please inform Daisy we'll be back there in a few minutes?” Nick asked.

“Certainly, sir,”  Charles said as he picked up a phone.

“Come on Fluff, we’d better not keep her waiting,” Nick said as he pushed open a door marked Staff.

Judy walked through the door and looked up at Nick. “So you don’t suspect Charles of being a super secretive government spy?” she asked.

“Nope, Charles is Daisy and I’s oldest employee,” Nick explained. “Matter of fact, I think he was the first mammal they hired when they opened up business years ago.”

“Oh.”

“A lot of these mammals are like family. Mom made it a point to treat mammals working here well, so as a result we have very low turn over.” Nick looked down at her. “My own experiences have led me to want to continue that.”

“Well look at you, Mr. Big Shot Business Tycoon and Detective,” Judy said playfully.

“Hmmmm, guess that makes me Batfox,” Nick said, looking thoughtful.

“Batfox?” Judy asked.

“Well, I’m not saying I am Batfox, but you’ve never seen Batfox and I in the same room now have you?” Nick asked shooting her a wink.

“NICK, JUDY!” Daisy exclaimed as she came out of her office. “What, no kits in tow? Nick, you promised.” She gave him a pouting glare. “You also promised not to be a stranger, but I haven’t seen you two since your wedding!”

Judy couldn't help but giggle a little bit at the sudden pained expression on Nick's face. 

“Oh, I don't know what you’re giggling about, little miss.” Daisy turned her ire on Judy. “Don’t think I don’t know about all the trips out to Bunnyburrow, nor the months you two spent out there for your honeymoon.” She put her paws on her hips as she stared at the two of them.

Judy’s ears fell down her back.

“I’m sorry Daisy. Between work and wanting to see Cotton, we got distracted,” Nick said as he smiled at the female beagle. 

“But it is Cotton’s birthday this weekend, and we would love to have you over,” Judy said.

“Really?” Daisy asked. “Can I bring Lorie as well?”

“Of course,” Nick said. “We might have to move it to the park though, as I'm not sure our apartment would be big enough for all of us.”

“We should probably extend an invitation to Clawhauser as well. He would just be devastated if we didn’t.” Judy grinned at Nick and bumped her hip against him. “You think you can handle this, Dad?” 

“Oh, I’m sure I'll manage.” Nick said with a smirk. “I’ll text you with the details once we have everything nailed down.”

“Ok, now I'm taking it you're not here to look at houses?”  Daisy said as she led them into her office, now much less irritated with the pair of them.

“Not this time, but soon,” Nick said. “Hipp and Judy would like to see the one out in the Meadowlands.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know if the master bedroom catches the morning sun?” Judy asked.

Daisy smiled. “I believe it does, yes.” She turned to Nick and grinned. “But didn’t you just say you weren't here to discuss houses?” 

“No we're not. We need to know if an individual or a company has rented or purchased warehouse space,” Judy answered.

Daisy frowned. “I take it this is for an ongoing case?” she asked. 

Nick nodded. “It is.”

Daisy unlocked her computer. “You know if you came into the office more and were actually set up in the system you’d be able to run this search yourself, right?”

“Yeah, I'm sure the Chief would love that I could do real estate searches while on the clock for the city.”

“Yeah, he’d probably think you are looking for more places to buy,” Judy said.

“Joke’s on him; I don't even do the purchasing,” Nick said. 

“So who or what company are you looking for?” Daisy asked after getting logged in.

“Katlyn Moss or Moss Computers LTD,” Judy answered.

“Hmmmm,” Daisy said after typing a search into her computer.

“Find something?” Nick asked.

“There isn’t anything rented or sold to a Kaytlin Moss or a Moss Computers, but there is a Moss Film Studio,” Daisy said. “Looks like they rent a pair of warehouses side by side in the Dockyards.”  
    
“Can we have the address?” Judy asked.

Daisy nodded. “7821 C and D 11th N. Dockside.”

“Does it say who signed the lease?” Nick asked.

They watched as Daisy scrolled down the screen. “One Thomas Moran; they're renting the space from Cuppaw Holdings, or what used to be Cuppaw.”

“We’re still staying out of industrial real estate, correct?” Nick asked.

“Correct. The only thing we're getting into is the weather walls, and the first round of negotiations is going well,” Daisy answered.  

“Isn’t industrial real estate profitable?” Judy asked.

“It can be extremely, but there are more risks with it,” Daisy answered.

“Mammals in the city don't care if you just leased the space or if you were the CEO,” Nick said. “If the perception is that you support the eating of kits, then it’s really hard to shift that perception.”

“Look what happened to Cuppaw's stock prices after you two arrested him; even though the board of directors replaced him two days later their stock prices plummeted,” Daisy added.

“So what about your stock?” Judy asked.

“We don't have any, Fluff,” Nick answered.

“Vivian was very adamant that we stay a private family owned company,” Daisy added. “And based on our current projections without the weather walls we're doing well. With the collapse of Cuppaw, we are now one of two companies still servicing residential and commercial spaces.”  

“So what do you think Fluff? Do we have enough to get a warrant?” Nick asked.

“I think so,” Judy said. “Thank you Daisy, and we'll see you on Saturday.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey Spots!” Nick created a few hours later. “Is Chief Bogo in?”

“Oh hey guys,” Clawhauser greeted them. “Yeah he's up in his office; do you want me to tell him you're on your way up?”

“Please?” Judy asked. “Oh, and are you busy Saturday?”

“Ummm, I don't think so.”

“We’re having a birthday party for Cotton in the park near our apartment on Saturday. Want to come?” Nick asked.

“Oh boy, do I!” Clawhauser said excitedly. “What does she like, so I know what to get her as a gift?”

“We’ll text you the details this evening,” Judy said. “But board games are a big hit, as they can play them together.”

Nick turned and watched as Clawhauser pulled out his phone and started searching for something.”Don't forget to warn the Chief!” he called as they made their way past the front desk to the elevators.

Judy shook her head as she hit the call button. “I’m doubting that he calls the Chief.”

“I don’t think he will either. I think we broke Clawhauser,” he said as they stepped into the elevator.

Judy nodded. “What do you think about inviting Chief Bogo to the party?” 

Nick shrugged. “I don't see why not; might as well send an invite over to Fangs and Wolfy as well.” 

“Francine could bring her calf,” Judy said.

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Nick agreed as they stepped out of the elevator. “Since we're now having it at the park, size doesn't really matter.”

Judy nodded as they walked down the hall to the Chief's office. “We’ll need to see to food and a few other things. But it's all doable.”

“We could always hire Lorie to cater, and I could bake the cake,” Nick offered.

“Do you think she would?” Judy asked. 

“Wouldn't hurt to ask.”

“Well if she does, make sure we pay her well for it,” Judy told him. 

Nick nodded as he knocked on the closed door of Chief Bogo’s office. “Of course.”

“ENTER!” came the gruff response from the other side as he reached up and opened the door.

“Good afternoon Chief,” Judy greeted.

“Wildes,” Bogo greeted them, their last name seemingly being ground over gravel. “To what do I owe the pleasure today?” he asked as Judy climbed up into the chair across from his desk.

“We found evidence that a website operator here in the city is using mammals that have been missing for…. Over a decade in one instance, and making adult content with them,” Nick answered.

“We have the warrants, but we need assistance and back up in serving them,” Judy added.

“I take it this is a part of your corruption case?” Chief Bogo asked.

“Yes, and we might even have the evidence we need to bring Thomas Moran in instead of minimizing what he can work on,” Judy added.

“How so?” Bogo asked.

“Because Moran signed the lease for the warehouses where we suspect that the mammals are being held at and the content in question is being shot,” Nick answered.

“Did he now?” Bogo asked as he stepped his fingers in front of him.

Judy nodded. “He did. Now we don't know if he is working with Kaytlin Moss or not, but he is heavily implicated in what she’s been doing.”

“What’s the address of the warehouses in question?” Bogo asked.

“7821 C and D 11th N. Dockside,” Judy answered.

Bogo frowned and shook his head. “Unfortunately for you, you're a day late in your investigation, since we already have officers at that location.”

Nick and Judy glanced at each other, “What happened Chief?” Nick asked.

Chief Bogo brought up the initial report on his computer. “At 0245, a call was placed about a fire in 7821 C that quickly spread and engulfed 7821 D as well. Fire marshals are still conducting their investigation, but several mammal remains have been identified in 7821 C. They have reason to believe that it was arson, as evidence of an accelerant was found at the scene.” 

“How many bodies?” Judy asked.

Bogo shook his massive head. “Fire Chief Blackfur hasn’t updated his report yet, so we are uncertain at this time.We’ll need to wait for the fire service to announce the all clear before CSI can go in.”

Judy sighed and looked down at her paws. 

Nick put a paw on her shoulder. “We can't save them all, but we can get justice for them.” 

“He’s right,” Bogo said, and regretted it instantly when Nick’s face somehow went even more smug.

Judy nodded. “I know, it's just hard.” She sighed. “Anything reported at….” She opened one of the warrants. “963 Swahili Lane?”

Bogo typed the address into his computer. “Nothing reported.”

“Can you have a uniformed patrol meet us there?” Nick asked.

Bogo snorted. “I’ll have dispatch send a unit that way.”

Judy and Nick slid out of the chair. “Thanks Chief,” she said as they headed for the door.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You ok Judy?” Nick asked as soon as they climbed into their cruiser.

Judy took a deep breath and slammed her small paw into the rim of the steering wheel. “NO! I’m not ok! THEY DIED, NICK!” she nearly screamed at him. 

“Hey,” he said gently. “I know…”

“It's because we….”

“We what?” Nick asked. “What could we have possibly done? There was no way we could have known anything any sooner than we did. Do you really regret anything that we did this weekend?.” 

“I don't know….” Judy said, her anger petering out as she closed her eyes and rested her head against the center of the large steering wheel. “I’m sorry Nick. I'm not angry with you or our kits….”

“Hey, it's ok, I understand….” Nick said as he reached over the center console and placed a paw on her back. “I hate thinking we were slow to get them just as much as you do.”

Judy looked over at him. “You do?”

Nick nodded. “I do. I hate knowing that there are kits out there that will have a messed up childhood, or no childhood at all.”  He looked out the car windshield and shook his head. “I hate knowing that someone deemed these mammals expendable and…..” 

“No one should be considered expendable,” Judy said.

“Yeah,” Nick agreed.

Judy looked out the windshield of their cruiser as well. “Sometimes it makes me wonder how we're making the world a better place,” she said softly. 

Nick looked over at her and smiled. “You’ve made my world a better place, and together we have definitely made Iris’s and Cotton’s a better place.” 

Judy smiled at him. “I can honestly say you have made mine a better place as well.” She sighed. “What do you say we go see if we can at least arrest Kaytlin Moss?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“There’s our back up,” Nick commented as they turned into Swahili Lane.  As they past the marked cruiser, it pulled in behind them. The street itself was quiet. Most of the cars they’d seen earlier that morning had left. “I guess mammals here have a late start time for work,” he commented.

Judy glanced over at him. “Maybe; nothing wrong with that.”

“They must not have somebunny making them get up at the crack of dawn,” he jibed back.

“Hey, we slept in this morning,” she shot back.

“Yeah, but was it because you were tired, or you liked seeing the kits all wrapped up in my tail?” 

“Why does it have to be either or?” Judy asked. “Why can't it be both?”

Nick grinned and looked over at her, lowering his muzzle enough to look at her over the rims of his sunglasses. “The flashes of the camera on your phone this morning say it was the latter.”

Judy grinned and shrugged. “What can I say, seeing you with our kits gives me the warm fuzzies ok?”

He smiled as his tail started to thump lightly against the seat, causing Judy to giggle softly. “They make me pretty happy as well.” 

Judy looked toward the house as they pulled up in front of it. The house was a simple one story, seemingly sprawling, ranch style house. It, like all the houses in the neighborhood was plastered to look like it was made from adobe and then painted a pale brown color with a red tiled roof. The lawn in front of it was well kept and watered, just like most of the other houses on the street, and a pair of tall palm trees flanked both sides of the porch.

She put the cruiser into park and turned off the engine. She glanced over at Nick, who nodded. “Let's be safe about this,” she said.

“Yes let’s, I want both of us to be able to go home to our kits to night,” He said as he unbuckled his seat belt and opened the passenger side door.

Judy unbuckled her seat and hopped out the driver’s side door. She walked around the car, once again glancing up and down the street. The neighborhood itself was meant for medium to smaller mammals, all the houses sized appropriately for them. A small wolf would more than likely be the largest mammal that could comfortably live there.

A pair of bobcats exited the cruiser behind them. Nick nodded to them as they walked up.

“Detectives Wilde?” the bobcat that was the driver asked.

“That's us,” Judy answered while Nick stared at the house.

“Chief Bogo called Precinct Three and Chief Horox sent us. Guess we're here to help you clear the house?” the passenger bobcat added. He appeared to be younger, more than likely a recent graduate of the ZPD Academy. 

Nick nodded. “We are to serve a warrant for one Kaytlin Moss and clear the scene so CSI and TIU can do their things.” 

The bobcats nodded and started walking toward the houses front door. Nick and Judy glanced at each other as they started to follow behind them. Nick glanced around, the street was quiet; not even birds chirped in the trees. 

“No lights visible through the front windows,” Reported the driver bobcat. 

“Clear left side of house.” said the passenger. 

The driver bobcat pushed the doorbell, but then pounded on the door when nothing happened. His paw thudded against the solid wood of the door repeatedly. “POLICE, OPEN UP!” 

Nick sniffed the air at the front door and frowned. What is that smell? he asked himself.

The bobcat pounded on the door again. “POLICE OPEN UP!”

“You smell that?” Nick asked.

“Sorry, I can't smell anything; we had this Thai food for lunch today…” the bobcat said.

Judy frowned. “It smells like rotten eggs.” She glanced up at Nick as the bobcat pounded a third time on the door then tried the door knob.

Nick watched the door knob turn easily in the bobcats paw as he pushed the front door open. “GAS!” Nick shouted as the smell hit him full force. Judy turned and drove her shoulder into her fox’s stomach, tackling him down off of the porch and into the yard just as the house erupted into a fireball. His arms wrapped around Judy as the pair of them were propelled out into the yard not just by Judy’s sudden tackle, but by the force of the blast. 

Nick’s vision flipped and turned as the energy of the blast threw them across the yard. His ears rang loudly and he struggled to breathe as his back hit the ground in the middle of the front yard.. His head swam either from the impact of their landing or the explosion, he couldn't tell which. Debris started the rain down around them. He felt Judy's arms wrapped around his waist, but couldn't tell who held onto who.

Nick's eyes opened, though he didn't even remember closing them. Judy was crouched over him, her face sooty and streaked with tears. Her mouth moved, but the ringing in his ears prevented him from hearing anything that she said. The air hung thick with billowing smoke and the stench of melted plastic and charred fur. 

Their eyes met as he shook his head and yelled that he couldn't hear her. She looked at him in confusion, then wrapped her arms around him tightly. His arms wrapped around her as the lighter bits and pieces of the house floated down around them, trailing smoke. His arms wrapped tighter around her; he could almost feel her heart thundering in her chest as they lay just feet away from the smoking ruins of the house. Neither of them was able to hear the distant sirens. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“This is ZNN,” said the deep voiced announcer as the bright red ZNN logo came onto the screen. 

“Good evening, I'm Fabienne Growley,” the female snow leopard said into the camera. 

“And filling in for Peter Moosebridge, I’m Lacey Longtail.” The camera cut to a smaller desk placed on top of the main ZNN anchor desk for the small female red tailed squirrel reporter.

“Our top story tonight, an explosion in Savannah Central leaves two officers wounded and two more in critical condition,” Fabienne read from the teleprompter and continued. “This afternoon, just after 1500 today, the quiet street of Swahili was rocked by a home exploding just after police arrived to serve a warrant.”

“Security cameras and police dash camera footage shows Detectives Nicholas and Judith Wilde being blown halfway across the lawn. Officers Gunsworth and Heathcliff did not fare nearly as well,” Lacey read not in her normal hyperactive pace.. “Mmmm mmmmm, those poor officers,” she added before continuing on. “Detectives Nicholas and Judith Wilde sustained minor injuries and are expected to be released later this evening. My oh lordy, that must have used up all the luck in at least one of that rabbit’s feet!”  

“Officers Gunsworth and Heathcliff are listed in critical but stable condition,” Fabienne finished, trying hard not to crack a grin at her co-anchor’s outburst. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the officers involved.”  

“The ZPD has released no official statement yet, but DA Luke Fisher did have this to say,” Lacey read into the camera just before it cut to an image of Luke Fisher on top of a large mammal podium in front of city hall.

“Terrorist acts will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!” the otter DA said vehemently into the gathered microphones; he obviously said more on the subject, as his lips kept moving, but the audio cut out.

“I’m impressed,” Martin said calmly. His left hoof put down the remote while his right swirled a finger or two of whiskey in a tumbler.

“Thank you, sir,” The female ocelot all but purred from her place on a couch. “Pity I didn’t get them.”

“Yes, pity,” Martin agreed as he took a sip of his whiskey.

“Did you hear they adopted?” she asked.

“No, I did not hear that,” Martin said as he looked over at the smaller mammal.

She nodded. “A friend of mine tells me one of their kids has a birthday party coming up this weekend.” 

Martin was quiet for a moment as he regarded the whiskey in his glass. “Would be a shame if someone crashed that party,” the female ocelot said, drawing his attention back toward her.

“Yes, that would be a shame wouldn’t it Miss Moss?” Martin asked as he regarded her. “I take it you have a plan?” 

Kaytlin Moss smiled at her employer. “I think it's time we send a message to that fox and bunny.”

Martin smiled as he set his glass down onto his desk and regarded the ocelot carefully. “The last message wasn't so well received it would seem.” 

Kaytlin’s smile grew and seemed almost sadistic. “Well then, we'll have to send one that is much harder to ignore.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick woke with a start, sitting almost straight up off of the hospital bed as his senses suddenly kicked back in, not gradually, but with a hyperactive jolt. His heart raced as his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the room. 

Where am I? he asked himself as memories started to flood back in. Judy tackling him, the house exploding, and rolling across the lawn. Of her hovering over him, and not being able to hear a word that she said. The heart rate monitor attached to his chest started to beep faster. JUDY! 

He attempted to roll out of the bed, but the bed railing kept him from falling out. He snarled at the railing as he thrashed to get away from the bedding. 

“Mr. Wilde?” came a voice from the door, causing him to turn toward it and growl. He didn’t recognize it; his lips pulled back and his eyes narrowed.

“Where. Is. My. Wife?” he all but snarled at the voice.

“Nick?” Judy asked from the door as she pushed her way inside his room. With that one word, the tension in him left and he collapsed back onto the bed. As the adrenaline rush faded,the pain returned, and he groaned weakly. “Are you ok?” she asked, watching him collapse.

“Sore,” he croaked. “Very, very sore. Are you ok?” 

“I’m ok, just a few superficial cuts and bruises. I had you to cushion my landing.”

“Any idea what happened?” he asked.

“It was a trap,” Judy said as she climbed up onto the bed. “Not enough of the house is left for them to make a full determination, but from the sounds of it the gas for the stove was left on while a wire or a broken lamp was hooked up to the door.” She sighed. “Doesn't matter anyway; not our case anymore, and from the sounds of it we're going to be off for a little while.”

Nick plopped his head into her lap. “Not really going to hear me complain about that, Fluff.”

Judy smiled. “Didn’t think so. They’re worried you might have a concussion.”

“How long have I been out?” 

“A couple of hours,” she said quietly as she scratched him behind his right ear. “Dr. Treeroot should be in shortly and then we can go home.”

“They are not going to keep me overnight?”

“I don’t think that will be necessary, Mr. Wilde,” Dr. Treeroot said as he entered the dimly lit room.”From my feasting on the tree of knowledge, I know we cannot keep as good of an eye on you as your wife and joeys can.”

“What do we need to be on the lookout for?” Judy asked as she switched to scratching behind Nick's other ear.  

“Loss of consciousness that you cannot wake him up from. Headaches, but honestly that would be expected; he can take over the counter remedies for those. If they persist though, bring him back in. Also nausea and vomiting,” Dr. Treeroot told her. “I would add ringing in the ears to that, but at the moment some tinnitus is to be expected; it should go away soon.“

“Anything else, Doc?” Nick asked.

“Well, it's my koalafied opinion that you two need to find a less dangerous line of work.” Dr. Treeroot smiled at them. “I see you two way too often to be comfortable with it.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“But I wanna say good night to Mommy and Daddy…” Cotton trailed off. “They said they should be home before bed time…..” 

“I know, Cotton; I’m sure they'll be home soon,” Hipp said gently. “I’ll tell you what, if you and Iris will lay quietly on the couch you can wait for them.”

Cotton looked over to Iris, who nodded. “’Kay,” she said as the pair of bunnies in pajamas walked over to the couch. Hipp helped the two tuckered out kits onto the couch then covered them up with the blanket she had used the night before.

She sighed as she settled at the other end of the couch and picked up her laptop. I hope they're ok, she thought to herself as she waited for the machine to boot. Judy called a bit ago and said they were at the hospital but they should be home tonight. 

She entered her password and pulled up ZNN. She had to fight hard to suppress a gasp; the latest pictures of the scene showed the house on Swahili reduced to nothing more than a smoking hole in the ground, with the studs of the outer walls sticking out of it like the rib bones of some ancient animal. 

How could anyone survive that? she thought to herself as she clicked on the corresponding article. “Sources inside the ZPD indicate that a gas leak inside of the house was used to cause the explosion. Zootopia Power and Gas has shut off the gas mains into the neighborhood until repairs to the pipeline can be made. Currently only seven mammals have been reported as injured, and four of those were police officers. Estimated damages range in the 1.1 to 1.7 million dollar range. The fire from the explosion had spread to three other houses before the fire department arrived.” Hipp clicked out of the article when it started to go into the injuries the officers suffered.  

She smiled as she glanced over at Iris and Cotton curled up together under the blanket. Her ears perked up slightly at the sound of keys in the lock. Hipp wasn’t sure what to expect as her sister and brother-in-law walked into the apartment, leaning rather heavily on one another. Their clothes were scorched  and torn in places; she could make out bandages wrapped here and there around paws, arms, and legs. 

“Sweet Serendipity! Are you two ok?” Hipp asked as she got up, placing her laptop back onto the coffee table. 

“Nick got the worst of it,” Judy answered as she let Hipp take more of Nick's weight. “He ended up cushioning my fall.”

“Only because you bun-fued your shoulder into my stomach,” Nick said as he collapsed into the arm chair. “Could have been worse….”

“Daddy?” Cotton asked sleepily as she sat up on the couch rubbing her eyes.

“Yeah, we're home sweetheart,” Nick answered as Judy climbed up onto the couch where Hipp had just been sitting. 

“Can I get you two anything?” Hipp asked.

“Water would be great,” Judy answered.

“You’re hurt…..” Cotton said softly as she looked between Nick and Judy.

“Yeah, we had a rough day sweetheart. But we'll be ok,” Nick answered.

“It’ll take a couple of days, but we should be all better before this weekend,” Judy added.

“Speaking of which, is there anything you’d like for your birthday?” Nick asked.

“Chocolate cake?” Cotton asked. 

“Cake was a given,” Nike said chuckling softly, then winced slightly.

“Thank you,” Judy said to Hipp as she was handed a bottle of water. 

“We really didn’t do birthday presents growing on the farm,” Hipp supplied.

Judy nodded. “Rather hard when you share your birthday with at least five other kits.”

“Dad?” Cotton asked, causing Nick to open his eyes and look down at the bunny who had slipped off of the couch. 

“Come here,” Nick said, bending down to pick her up plop her down in his lap. He smiled as she curled up and rested her head against his chest. 

“I love you,” Cotton said softly.

“I love you too.”

“She is such a daddy’s doe,” Hipp commented.

Judy grinned. “Yep, first Nick then the world.”

“Yeah, well, one day she’ll want to learn bun-fu, then guess who she’ll turn to,” Nick said playfully.

“What makes you think she'll want to learn bun-fu?” Judy asked.

“Because she’s our kit; she'll be as sly as her dad and as awesome as her mom.” Nick answered before kissing Cotton between the ears. 

“And Iris?” Judy asked.

Nick smiled as he looked over to the other sleeping bunny. “She’s already pretty clever. If we can get her stamina back up, who knows what she'll be capable of?”  


	19. Episode 19: Birthdays and Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is not the fully chapter you expected it to be.

### 

# Episode 19: Birthdays and Nightmares

  


I cannot stop this sickness taking over  
It takes control and drags me into nowhere  
I need your help, I can't fight this forever  
I know you're watching,  
I can feel you out there  
Take me high and I'll sing  
Oh you make everything okay (okay, okay)  
We are one in the same  
Oh you take all of the pain away (away, away)  
Save me if I become  
My demons  
My Demons ~ Starset

 

“They’re still there,” Judy said softly as she stepped up beside Nick, who was leaning against the door frame of their kits’ bedroom watching them sleep.

 

“I know,” Nick answered, and looked down at her. “It’s just that having a house explode in your face gives a mammal a new perspective on things, ya know?”

 

Judy nodded and looked into the bedroom herself. She took a hold of his paw and pulled him toward their bedroom. “We need to talk….” 

 

Nick limped behind her as she lead him to their bedroom. “What do we need to talk about, Fluff?”

 

Judy pulled him over to the bed before climbing up on it. She took his paw back into hers, looking down at it. “I’m scared. You were right today; we have much more to lose.” She took a deep breath and looked up at him. “But our kits Nick, they have even more to lose.”

 

He nodded. “I know how you feel; the same thought has crossed my mind at least half a dozen times this evening.” 

 

“Is that why you sat for an hour just holding Cotton?” 

 

“I would have held Iris too, but she looked like she was blissfully asleep.” He sighed and nodded. “But yes, that’s why.”

 

Nick frowned and started to feel concerned. “Judy, what's wrong?”

 

She sniffed and wiped at a tear that had started to form in the corner of her right eye. “All I’ve wanted to be since I was nine was a cop,” she said quietly. “But now I have more than I ever dreamed of; I have a family. We came soooo close to dying today.”

 

“Yeah, but we’re okay…..” 

 

“We got lucky,” she interrupted him, and looked up. “Nick, I don’t want our kits to grow up without parents, without us.”

 

Nick was silent for a long moment. “What do you want to do?”

 

“I’m not sure yet, but I feel if we keep going down this road…..” Judy sighed. “But I still somehow want to make the world a better place.”  

 

“Then we’ll figure it out,” Nick said softly. “We have a week off; I’m sure the pair of us can come up with a plan.”

 

“You have the company….” Judy smiled at him. “I can always take classes to change careers, maybe go to law school.”

 

“Mmmmm lawyer bunny,” Nick said with a smile.

 

“Maybe,” Judy said with a shrug. “I’m not really sure yet what I want to do, it was just athought.” She paused for a moment. “Whatever we do, I still want to somehow help make the world a better place.” 

 

Nick smiled down at her. “I’m sure you’ll do that no matter what.”

 

“Thanks Nick.” Judy sighed. “Come on, let's get to bed; we have a busy day of domestic bliss tomorrow.”  

 

Nick nodded. “I’ll call Daisy in the morning and arrange a time to look at the house out in the Meadowlands.” He paused for a moment. “Your sure you want to look at that one?”

 

Judy smiled as she slid off the bed and headed to the bathroom. “Yeah; I have a good feeling about it.”

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nick looked out the window of their rental car as the city scenery gave way to the open spaces of the Meadowlands outside of the passenger side of their rented car. _I never thought that I would come back here,_ he thought to himself. _Having left here….. How many years ago?_ He sighed quietly and thought about it for a moment. _Too_ _many_ , he decided after a little while. 

 

_Mom used to work there,_ he thought to himself as they passed what used to be the Bite and Scoot. _Our street was just two blocks on up from here. 1955 Cypress Grove Lane._ He frowned ever so slightly as they passed by the community building.

 

“This is a really nice area,” Judy said from the drivers seat as they followed Daisy’s sports car through the neighborhood. 

 

“Yeah, Mom loved it here,” Nick said. “The massive park in the center is truly the nicest one in the city, and you don't have some of the problems you have living in the city center.”

 

Judy smiled. “In some ways it reminds me of Bunnyburrow.”

 

“You know, you could always transfer out to the Sheriff’sDepartment in Bunnyburrow,” he suggested. 

 

“What would you do though?” Judy asked. “You’ve admitted that you wouldn't make much of a farmer.”

 

Nick shrugged. “As long as there’s a decent internet connection I can work for the property management company. Maybe even take a larger role.”

 

“Ehh,” Judy said as she followed Daisy around a corner . “If I stay in law enforcement I want to keep you as my partner.” She glanced over at him. “I honestly just don't know what I want to do. But I want you and our kits safe, that's more important than almost anything.”

 

“I know how you feel. Having a house explode in your face puts things in perspective.”

 

“You grew up around here didn’t you?” Judy asked, changing the subject.

 

“Yeah, we passed the dinerwhere my mom used to wait tables while getting her real estate license,” Nick explained. “Not the same name mind you, but the location is still there.”

 

“And where…” Judy started.

 

“The Junior Ranger incident happened? Nick asked as he interrupted her. “Yeah we passed by that as well.” 

 

“I’m sorry if coming back here is opening up old wounds for you,” Judy said softly.

 

“Honestly?” Nick asked as he looked out the car window. “I expected it to hurt more. Maybe it's because I came back here with somebunny important to me.”

 

“Wow,” Judy said as they pulled up to a large two story house.  The outer walls of the first floor looked like they were made from cobblestone, while the upper floor was made of wood and painted a light blue. To the right paw side was a two car garage with a single white roll up door. The front door was dark red with brass fittings and the exterior lighting was all clad in brass and glass, with a large covered front porch.

 

“It's a newer house,” Daisy said, walking up to them as they got out of the car. “Built less than 10 years ago. Six bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms. One of the bathrooms is an en suite for the master bedroom, the second is an en suite for a mother-in-law addition, and the third is for the other bedrooms to share; the half bathroom is on the lower floor. It was built by a wolf family and sold during the Nighthowler crisis.” 

 

“So it will need to be renovated,” Judy said flatly.

 

“Yes, to accommodate your family.”

 

“How long will that take?” Judy asked.

 

“Since it will be mostly the bathrooms and the kitchen?” Daisy looked thoughtful for a moment. “Two to three months, depending. Now, would you like to see the home or have you already made up your mind?” 

 

“Oh yes,” Judy smiled up at the basset hound. “Sorry, I just had questions is all.”

 

“Oh that’s perfectly fine,” Daisy said. “The house is just a little over 3000 square feet. It sits on approximatelytwo acres, with most of it in the backyard,” she explained as she unlocked the front door and let them inside.

 

Glistening polished mahogany hardwood floors greeted them. The main floor was mostly open; it was possible to see from the living room though what would be a kitchen and dining area to the large floor to ceiling windows and sliding glass doors that led into the spacious backyard. They were led from room to room; the house was warm, spacious, and inviting. Each room gave a sense of space as well as security, even if it was all just a tad too large for the pair; door knobs were just a smidge too high, appliances and counter tops just a bit too big. 

 

Nick looked down at Judy, seeing the wonder and excitement in her eyes. _That's what renovations are for,_ he thought to himself as they entered the master bedroom. One wall had large floor to ceiling windows with a sliding glass door that led out onto a private balcony. 

 

“Now, I believe this room is what you’ve been wondering about,” Daisy said to Judy. “Those windows face east, and if you place your bed here,” she said, gesturing to another wall, “It should light up your bed nicely in the morning. 

 

Judy smiled. “It's perfect.”

 

“You sure, Fluff?” Nick asked. “I know you had your heart set on a high rise….”

 

“Yes, I'm sure,” Judy said as she turned and looked up at him. “It has a nice back yard, plenty of space for all five of us, and the neighborhood is quiet.”

 

Nick smiled. “OK Fluff, if you’re sure.”

 

“We want the same bathroom set up as in our apartment,” Judy said as she turned her attention back to Daisy.

 

“I will get you in contact with our contractor later this week,” Daisy said. “Will you be available to sign paperwork this week?”

 

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Nick answered.

 

“When we come in, maybe we can talk about something else?” Judy asked.

 

“What would that be?” Daisy asked as they walked back through the house toward the front door.

 

“Maybe a position for me?” Judy asked.

 

Daisy paused and looked down at them, surprised. “Really?” she asked. 

 

“Yeah; with everything that’s happened, we feel that it’s best for our family if Nick and I look for employment outside of the ZPD,” Judy answered.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“GIRLS!” Judy called after the two younger bunnies as they took off, giggling, for the swings. “Stay where we can see you!” 

 

“Don't worry Judes, I'll keep my eyes on them,” Hipp said as she sat the bags of decorations down on the picnic table. 

 

“Thanks Hipp,” Judy said as she walked back toward the car.  She smiled as Nick came walking over slowly, overburdened with bags.  

 

“You know you could have made another trip, right Slick?” Judy asked as she passed by him.

 

“Male code Fluff,” Nick called back as he trudged along. She shook her head. 

 

She hauled the pair of coolers out of the trunk and shook her head again, seeing that he’d gotten everything in the bags. _Silly fox could have put things the things in the coolers and dragged them,_ she thought to herself, as she hopped up and closed the trunk. She turned and started to drag the coolers back toward the picnic table, seeing Nick already sorting out the drinks. Lorie would be coming with the food soon.

 

“See Fluff,” Nick said smugly. “I told you I’d make it.”

 

“Silly fox,” she shot back. “You could have made things easier on yourself by just putting it all in the coolers”

 

“Yeah, but the coolers were behind everything so it had to come out anyway,” Nick shrugged as he used the tip of a claw to slice open a bag of ice and dump it into the cooler. She watched as he arranged drinks into the coolers with a practiced paw, slicing bags of ice open and making sure that the drinks, while accessible, were well chilled by the ice. 

 

“Well, it seems being a reformed pawpsicle hustler has its uses,” Judy commented with a grin as she spread a large plastic tablecloth over the table. 

 

“Yes; I can load a cooler like no other,” Nick said as he shot her a wink and pulled out a rather large plastic container holding the coveted chocolate cake. 

 

Judy smiled and shook her head at him as they went about setting up for the party.

 

“Look at you Nick, being all respectable and dad-like,” Lorie said a few minutes later as she walked up. “Judy really has done wonders for you; if only she could do something about your horrible fashion sense…”

 

“It's kind of grown on me,” Judy said. “Kinda like a grandmother's wallpaper.”

 

Lorie looked at Nick's green Hawaiian shirt thoughtfully. “That's why you wear that hideous thing….” 

 

“Why I wear what?” Nick asked.

 

“That shirt looks like the wallpaper Aunt Viv had in her living room.”

 

Judy’s ears perked up. “Really?” she asked.

 

“Yeah, that pattern is an almost dead match to it.”  

 

“Aww…” Judy said looking up at Nick. “Who’s the big sentimental fox?” 

 

Lorie snorted. “She has your number there Nick; better hang onto her.”

 

Nick smiled and gathered Judy up in a large hug. “I plan on it, Lorrie,” he said as he planted a kiss between her ears.

 

“NICK!” Judy yelled, exasperated with him ,but didn’t attempt to escape. 

 

He smiled and started to plant a kiss between her ears that instead found her lips when she tilted her head back to look up at him. “I love you,” she said softly.

 

“I love you too,” he replied as he let her go. “Now, what kind of delicious food did you bring for us?” Nick asked as he turned his attention back to Lorrie.

 

“Well, for the kids I have fried zucchini or chicken strips with furnch fries, and for the adults I have tofu or chicken chef’s salad,” Lorrie said with a smile. “You’re sure you didn’t want us to furnish the cake?” 

 

“Nick baked the cake this morning with Cotton and Iris,” Judy answered.

 

“Really?” Lorrie asked as she raised an eyebrow. “And it’s edible?” 

 

“Cotton loves my cake,” Nick said proudly.

 

“Her and the rest of my rather sizable family.”

 

“Really?” Lorrie asked, looking thoughtful. “Well Nick, you better hope this cake lives up to the hype or I might be disappointed.”

 

Nick rolled his eyes and grinned. “Well, after having Bonnie's blueberry pie, I find your pastry chefs rather lacking so I think the odds are in my favor that my cake will meet your exacting standards.”

 

“Ummm, that might not be entirely fair,” Judy started as she looked between the two. “I mean, Mom’s deserts have won the Tri County Fair Bake Off for years, and then there’s the whole economy of favors surrounding them at home.”

 

“Economy?” Lorrie asked.

 

“Yep, and my legendary cake skewed the favor market for weeks,” Nick answered smugly.

 

“Well yeah, but that was because you flooded the market…”

 

“Let's not forget that Cotton said mine is better than Bonnie's.

 

“Yeah, but let's be honest; she isn't the most unbiased bunny when it comes to you.”

 

“Oh, but I think you're forgetting something Fluff,” Nick said smugly.

 

Judy smiled at the expression on his face. “And what is that?”

 

“Cotton told me that she liked my cake better than Bonnie's before we were even married,” Nick said as he stuck out his tongue at her.

 

Judy huffed at him as his smug smile grew. “Fine, fine, I concede the point.”

 

Lorrie laughed at the two of them. “Good to see that you found someone that can keep up with you.” She smiled as she watched Nick beam with pride at Judy. “Well, I need to help get the trailer set up, then we can get everyone fed once the guests start to arrive.”

 

“Do you need a paw?” Judy asked as she looked around, seeing the last of their decorations already done. 

 

“Sure,” Lorrie said cheerfully. “Besides, it’ll let me be able to talk to you alone,” she said as she shot Nick a look. 

 

“I’ll take that as my cue to go help Hipp with the kits,” Nick said as he started walking toward the playground. 

 

“It’s impressive, you know?” Lorrie asked as she and Judy walked toward the pick up and trailer she’d brought. 

 

“Oh?” Judy asked.

 

“Yeah, you did something I never could,” Lorrie said truthfully. “Karma knows I tried. But I could never get him to look at me as more than just a sister, and then he just upped and disappeared for a while.” 

 

Judy frowned. “Disappeared?” she asked.

 

“Yeah, he was seeing someone; a street performer I think,” Lorrie said as she removed some stands from the bed of the truck. “Then one day, poof. No one knew where he went, Aunt Viv even contemplated asking Mr. Big about him, but decided in the end she just didn't want to know.”

 

Judy nodded as she helped sit the stands under the trailer. “Yeah Nick told me about her.” 

 

“I think Nick honestly loved her,” Lorrie shrugged as she unhooked the trailer. “Then he just up and disappeared. I guess he wasn't in prison, since he was able to become a ZPD officer. 

 

“For how long?” Judy asked trying to keep a frown off of her face.

 

“About five or six years,” Lorrie answered.

 

Judy frowned as she tried to remember what he’d told her about that time. 

 

“I’m sure whatever happened couldn't have been that bad. He was able to become a cop after all,” Lorrie said a few moments later, pulling her out of her thoughts. “And the last thing I want to do is cause problems with you two.” Lorrie looked over to the playground where Nick was pushing the girls on the swings. “He's happy now, that's all that matters.” 

 

“OH MY....” Judy’s ears perked up at Clawhauser's sudden appearance. “I've seen the pictures, but…” She quickly pulled down her ears just milliseconds before Clawhauser's ear shattering “SQUEEE!!” rent the air. 

 

Judy smiled as she turned toward the portly cheetah. “Hey Clawhauser.”

 

“Oh, ummm, here.”, Clawhauser said as he thrust a plastic bag holding two gift wrapped boxes in it. “I wasn’t sure which to get, so I got both. I hope they’re okay.” He looked around before whispering, “Carrotland and Monopoly.” 

 

Judy grinned. “I'm sure Nick will enjoy playing Monopoly with them.” 

 

“Ohhhhhh, I didn’t think of that.” Clawhauser looked thoughtful. “Pictures?” he asked hopefully, 

 

She grinned up at him. “Of course.”

 

She watched as Clawhauser eyed the trailer beside them. “Too bad you didn't get them to cater for your party,” he said. “They have some of the best fish and chips in town.”

 

“Really?” Judy asked with a smile.

 

Clawhauser nodded. “I hear they’re about to try to add some new, ummm, options to the menu for predators.” 

 

“What sort of menu options?” Judy asked. 

 

Clawhauser looked nervous. “Ummmm, they wouldn’t really interest you.” 

 

Judy waved a paw toward Nick, who was still pushing the girls on the swings, the two young bunnies giggling madly all the while. “He’s worth any minor discomfort.”

 

Lorrie came around from the other side of the trailer. “What he means Judy is that we are working with the University of Zootopia to bring to the market lab grown meat cloned from donated stem cells.”

 

Judy frowned slightly. “Oh….” 

 

“Predators have been forced for… a long time to make do with protein from either fish, poultry, or insects,” Lorrie explained. “This causes a lot of issues both mentally and physically,because it requires us to take a lot of supplements that can cause health issues in and of themselves.” She smiled at Clawhauser. “I’ll see if I can get an order of our fish and chips for you Officer...?” 

 

“Ummm, Clawhauser, but please call me Ben,” Clawhauser said nervously. “And seriously, you don't have to go to that trouble; I don’t want to upset whoever you’re catering for today.”

 

Lorrie looked at Judy. “I don’t know, will you be upset if I have an order brought here for your friend?” 

 

Judy tapped a finger on her chin as she looked up at her friend. “No, no I don't think either of us would be upset about that.”

 

Clawhauser looked confused for a moment before he grinned. “Well, I guess Nick really does know everyone.”

 

Lorrie smiled. “I’ve known Nick since we were both pups,” she said as she looked across the playground at the fox in question.

 

“Ohhhh, so you can tell us embarrassing childhood stories about Nick?” Clawhauser asked hopefully. Judy grinned as her own ears perked up a bit.

 

She looked thoughtful for a moment. “One or two maybe,” she said shooting a wink at Judy. “I could tell you about the time we raided his mother's closet.” 

 

Judy’s eyes got big. “Oooohhhh, he didn’t!” 

 

Lorrie smile wistfully. “He did, and let me tell you his fashion sense then was just as bad as it is now.” She paused as she looked thoughtful, “Worse maybe. Think those Hawaiian shirts are bad? Should have seen him then.” She smiled as she shook her head.

 

“What did he do?” Clawhauser asked a grin split his chubby face.

 

Lorrie looked at Judy. “Well, growing up his favorite movie was Robin Hood, not one of the newer ones but the 1973 film that came out before we were born.”

 

“I know that he read the book to my family's kerfluffle, the mass of kits around the barrow,”  Judy said and explained when she got an odd look.

 

Lorrie grinned. “Well, the lead character in the film dresses in drag to pull a heist of the Crown Prince of England…..”  

 

Judy squealed. “Please tell me there are pictures!” 

 

Lorrie grinned. “Mom has copies that I'm sure she would be more than happy to share with you.”

 

Judy grinned. “Well, I'm more than sure she’ll share them with me once we start our new positions.”

 

“New positions?” Clawhauser asked.  

 

Judy nodded and took a deep breath as she looked over at Nick and the girls. “We’re going to be resigning. Having a house blow up in your face…..”

 

“Oh….” Clawhauser said, his ears falling flat.

 

Judy smiled sadly at her friend. “Come on Clawhauser, it's not that bad.” She grinned. “I know what will cheer you up a bit. It's just about time for cake, and Nick’s cake is very good.”

  


\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A little over an hour later, an impressive motley collection of Nick and Judy’s friends from work had arrived and been fed. Clawhauser sat near Hipp, Cotton, and Iris. Iris had at first been a little timid around the portly cheetah but soon warmed up to his exuberant manner. But she still sat closer to Nick than Clawhauser. Nadine and Wolford showed up too, along with Francine and her calf Joe.

 

“Happy birthday to you,” sang the gathered mammals as Nick lowered a rather impressively large chocolate cake in front of Cotton. The number six was made out in candles. 

 

“Happy birthday to you,” again sang the gathered mammals. All of their attention was on Cotton, her smile and the sense of wonder in her eyes brighter than the light of the candles on the cake. 

 

“Happy birthday dear Cotton.” Cotton started to take a deep breath in anticipation of blowing out her candles. 

 

“Happy birthday to…” Rapid gunfire rent the air with the loud RATA TAT TAT of automatic weapons. Nick, standing behind Cotton, wrapped his arms around the young bunny and pulled her to the ground, shielding her with his body.

 

“DON’T MOVE!” came the sudden command over the roars and trumpets of pain. Either Nadine or Wolford had been hit, Nick couldn’t tell which. But Francine most definitely had taken a round from the sound of it. At least Nick hoped it had been Francine who’d taken the round and not her Calf. 

 

Nick chanced a look around and spotted Judy holding down Iris and Hipp the best she could. They locked eyes for a moment, then he followed Judy’s stern gaze to a zebra flanked by a Siberian tiger and a rhino in suits. Both held rather large automatic weapons in their hands. 

 

“Nicholas Wilde,” the zebra started. “Look at you. A family mammal. Just goes to show how gullible rabbits and the court system can actually be.” 

 

Nick slowly stood, trying to keep himself between Martin and Cotton. “Martin,” He said simply, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the zebra.  “What do you want?”

 

“Only to wish the birthday girl happy birthday,” Martin sneered. “It saddens me that I wasn't invited to this little get together; and look at that, you baked a cake. A regular ole Foxy Crocker aren’t you?” he asked as he walked over to the picnic table and looked down at the cake in contempt. 

 

Nick backed away from Martin, pushing Cotton along behind him. He glanced and could see Judy herding Hipp and Iris under the larger mammal picnic table.  He risked another glance around and saw Nadine flat on her back with Wolford applying pressure. His paws were covered in blood. Francine lay on her side, curled around what Nick assumed was her calf. The scent of blood and panic filled the air. 

 

“Shame Lorrie couldn’t have stuck around,” Martin said as he shook his head sadly. “Maybe then you would have finally gotten the message I’ve been trying to send you.”

 

“What message is that?” Nick asked, his eyes returning to Martin. 

 

Martin shook his head sadly. “Being around dumb bunnies has made you stupid,” he sneered at Nick. “But since you asked so nicely… It’s simple, you really should have heeded my warning last September and stayed out of my business.” 

 

“Your message is received,” Nick said evenly, clenching his fists slightly before forcing them to relax. 

 

Martin sneered as he turned and started to walk away. “Well that's good to hear, isn't it boys?” he asked. “I guess we can all just go home now.”  He paused and looked over his shoulder at Nick. “But… just what assurances do I have that you'll take it to heart?” 

 

“You have my word,” Nick said.

 

“Your word?” Martin asked as he started to laugh. “Just what do you take me for, one of your dumb bunnies?” He turned and looked at Nick. “No, no we are well past that point now. You have cost me dearly you dumb pelt, so now I shall cost you just as dearly.”

 

“Just….” Nick started.

 

“Round up the rabbits.” Martin ordered, looking over at Francine. “Too bad we didn't bring a larger vehicle; an elephant calf would fetch a tidy sum on the market.” 

 

“NO!” Nick yelled as he ran at Martin, dropping to all fours to clear the space between them faster. He leapt at the zebra, his claws extended, his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl. 

 

Martin stepped aside as the Siberian tiger caught Nick by the throat. Nick's head twisted as he snarled and attempted to bite at the large paw holding him, his claws ripping and tearing into the suit jacket uselessly. 

 

“Ahh….” said Martin observing Nick's eyes. “Seems my wedding present took effect after all. Kill him.” The tiger’s paw started to tighten around Nick's throat.

 

“NO!” Judy yelled, and came out from under the large mammal picnic table, then attempted to intercept Cotton. 

 

“DON'T HURT MY DADDY!” Cotton yelled as she kicked Martin in the knee cap. 

 

“Ahhh, there’s one,” Martin said as he plucked the bunny from the ground. “What did that pelt ever do to inspire such loyalty?” he asked Cotton as she tried to kick and fight her way free.

 

Nick’s struggles resumed as his teeth finally found purchase in the side of the tiger’s arm.  He snarled as he tasted blood, the dark edges of his vision slowly narrowing.

 

Martin turned his gaze to Judy. “Mrs. Wilde, will you be reasonable?”

 

“Don’t kill him,” Judy said softly. 

 

“Let him breathe,” Martin commanded coldly. The tiger’s grip loosened ever so slightly, allowing Nick to pull in a breath of air.  “Now if you would like him to continue breathing, the four of you will come and be…. my guests for a time.”

 

“No!” Nick croaked. 

 

“Time’s wasting Mrs. Wilde.” Martin said coldly. “The death of him and this little one, I think, will get my message to you just as well.” 

 

“Ok….” Hipp said as she came out from under the table. 

 

Judy turned in surprise, her nose twitching. “Hipp, stay out of this.”

 

“Kill…” Martin started.

 

“NO!” Judy yelled. “Fine we'll come,” she said, defeated.

 

“Good,” Martin sneered. “Just step this way,” he said as Nick snarled and tore a small chunk out of the tigers arm. “Knock out the fox.”

 

“With pleasure,” the tiger said, a large grin spreading across his face before slamming Nick hard into the ground. 

 

“NICK!” Judy yelled as she tried to run to her husband's side, but was stopped by a paw suddenly grabbing her ears. 

 

Nick's eyes opened once to watch Judy being soundlessly dragged away. The look of terror on her face was etched into his mind as his eyes closed.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nick awoke suddenly with a sharp intake of breath. His eyes flashed rapidly around the hospital room as the heart rate monitor beeped rapidly by his bed side. His head pounded in time with the thudding of his heart. The room reeked of antiseptic cleaner, and maybe a few other mammals, but no familiar scents of rabbits. 

 

His mind flashed to a zebra holding a gun to his wife's head and a low dangerous growl escaped between clenched teeth. He moved to sit up, only to find his left paw paw cuffed to the railing of the bed with an IV in his arm. 

 

_Martin_ ,  he identified the zebra in his head as he moved his right paw freely. He chuffed in amusement as he used his right paw to pull the IV slowly out of his arm. With the IV needle and a few deft twists of his fingers, the paw cuffs clattered open and he was able to sit up fully on the bed. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear it, before sliding off of the bed and stumbling his way to the bathroom. The heart rate monitor made a clattering thunk of metal and plastic as it hit the cool tiled floor. 

 

He tore the hospital gown off and with it the leads for the heart rate monitor, which now only made an eerie flat tone, breaking the silence of the room. He slapped on the lights of the bathroom, but hissed in pain at the sudden brightness and immediately slapped them back off again. _I'm going to kill him_ _,_ he thought to himself as he turned on the sink tap. Cupping his paws under it he washed his face, wincing and hissing in pain as his paws touched the right side where he’d been knocked out. 

 

“Mr. Wilde?” came a nervous call from the other room. He looked up into the mirror, just able to make out the shape of his face in the gloom. Images flashed in his mind: shots fired screams, Judy moving to intercept. He growled once again and the door to his room slammed shut. 

 

He reached over and slid the lights up just a bit so he could see a little bit better as he looked into the mirror. _He took them,_ he thought to himself, his lips pulling back in an involuntary snarl. The right side of his face was clearly swollen and would’ve shown a massive bruise if it wasn't for his fur. 

 

“G’ day, Mr. Wilde,” came the familiar voice of Dr. Treeroot from the other room. The heart rate monitor stopped with a sudden beep and the caster wheels clattered as it was put back up right. “Ya took a pretty nasty hit to the ole coconut; how are you feeling?” 

 

Nick suppressed the growl that wanted to boil from his throat. “My head hurts and I feel drowsy.” 

 

“That would be the sedatives that the EMTs administered to you. What do you remember?” Dr. Treeroot asked.

 

Nick's eyes flashed dangerously as he looked at the koala in the mirror. “He took them,” he ground out. 

 

“Ah, well then, I guess that also answers the question of you remembering how you got here,” Dr. Treeroot said. “Do you have any questions for me?” 

 

“Where are my pants?” 

  


\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Mr. Wilde, I really do need to caution you against your current course of action,” Dr. Treeroot said as Nick pulled his pants on.

 

“So you would have me leave my wife and kits in the paws of a mad mammal?” Nick asked as he buckled his belt. 

 

“Well no, but….”

 

“If I wait Doc, I might never see them again.”

 

Dr. Treeroot was about to say something else when a knock on the door preceded the entrance of a large cape buffalo.

 

“Wilde,” Chief Bogo greeted him. 

 

“You talk some sense into him,” Dr. Treeroot said as he walked out of the door. “He won’t listen to my koalafied advice.”

 

Chief snorted as he turned his attention back to Nick. He watched as the fox winced a bit while shrugging on his shirt and buttoning it up. “You should be in bed.”

 

Nick tilted his head slightly and looked up at the cape buffalo. “Where are my wife and kits?” 

 

“We’re not sure yet, but we have leads,” Bogo answered as best as he could. 

 

Nick chuffed dismissively as he finished buttoning his shirt and stretched his arms, working the knots out of his back and shoulders. “You don't know…” 

 

“Go home or stay here, but we will find them.”

 

“Heh,” Nick chuffed slightly. “You’ll find them.”

 

“Yes; we have called in all available officers to….”

 

Nick turned slightly, his fists balling up. “You’ll find them?” he asked. “Like you found Emmitt Otterton, or how about Mr. Manachas?” Bogo started to open his mouth when he was cut off by Wilde once again. “Frankly Chief, my family doesn't have time for you to find them.” Nick reached for the door.

 

“Walk out that door and I'll have your badge,” Bogo said threateningly.

 

Nick chuffed and opened the door. He glanced back over his shoulder and looked at Bogo one last time. “The ironic thing is that we were going to talk to you about resigning on Monday.”  

 

 Bogo watched as Nick walked out the door and pulled out his cell phone. He shook his head as he took out his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart. It rang twice before the mammal picked up on the other end. He said, “Mr. Mayor, we have a problem.” 

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“How in all the hells did it get to this, Adrian?!?” Mayor Colton asked Chief Bogo twenty minutes later in the mayor's office.

 

“Mr. Mayor…”

 

“Where is he now?”

 

Chief Bogo huffed. “We don't know. Wilde has connections throughout the city, which is a large part of the reason why I agreed to let him become an officer.”

 

Mayor Coltson huffed. “You assured me that he was controllable and now your telling me that he has his own intelligence network?”

  

“He was,” Chief Bogo started, but was interrupted by a loud beep from the telephone on the desk.

 

“Sir, the ZTA is on the phone for you.”

 

Mayor Coltson pushed a button on the phone. “Tell them I’m in a meeting.”

 

“As well as the ZAA.” After a quiet moment, “And Chief Blackfur is on line three for you.”

 

Mayor Coltson raised an eyebrow at Chief Bogo. 

 

“You should answer those,” Bogo stated dryly.

 

Bogo watched and listened as the mayor picked up his phone. “Mayor Coltson….” He listened to the mayor's side of the conversation and watched the horse’s eyes widen. “How long will that take to fix?” He watched as the mayor snorted. “Just get it fixed,” the mayor said as he hung up the phone. 

 

“That was the ZTA administrator; the draw bridges out of town are stuck raised and the trains that lead out of the city have all shut down. ZTA estimates at least 12 hours to fix the computer problem to get things going again,” the mayor told him. 

 

Bogo snorted. _Somehow I'm not that surprised,_ he thought to himself, suddenly remembering a prior conversation with Judy Wilde about fire. He watched as the mayor took two more calls then slammed down the phone before leaning back in his chair and pinching the bridge of his muzzle. 

 

“The ZAA is reporting that their radar and landing systems are down. Zootopia International Airport is closed while repairs are ongoing,” the mayor said as he opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. “Chief Blackfur reports that a fire at Zootopia International has destroyed a hanger with a private plane and a helicopter in it. The owner is an LLC.”   

 

Chief Bogo snorted. “I’m willing to bet that the plane belongs to Martin.”

 

Colton nodded. “How would Wilde know?” 

 

Chief Bogo shrugged. _How indeed._  

 

“What is the likelihood that his family is still in the city?” the mayor asked as he reached into the drawer and pulled out a pair of tumblers. “Drink?”

 

Bogo shook his head as he stood up. “No thanks, I'm going to have a long enough night as it is.”

 

“We’re going to need to meet with DA Fisher,” Colton said as he poured himself a large drink. “This is likely to turn into a legal nightmare.”

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nick's keys jingled in the lock as he opened the apartment door. The darkened living room area mimicked his mood as he pushed the door closed behind him. He stood for a moment in the entry way, inhaling the faded scents of his family. He turned and headed for the bedroom not bothering to turn on the lights; the faint glow of the setting sun provided him with all the light he needed. 

 

He paused briefly outside the kits’ room, his fists once again clinching in anger. Memories of happy giggles and squeals of laughter echoed in his head, taunting him with the happiness that had been shattered. His phone vibrated in his pocket, pulling him from the depths of his own mind as he pulled it out. A fox shaped shadow was cast in the hallway behind as him as he unlocked the screen and looked at the messages. 

 

Cor: Done, you got 12 hours

 

Nick smiled toothily as he locked his phone and slid it back into his pocket. A costly favor spent, but getting them back was worth anything. He moved once again and stepped into the bedroom he shared with Judy. Forcing himself to keep from looking at the bed, he stepped into the closet and turned on the light. He hissed in pain but forced it out of his mind as he knelt and punched in the combo to the weapons safe. 

 

His eyes fell onto his service weapon and Judy’s taser. _If only_ _we’d_ _been armed,_ he thought to himself as he pulled a black weapon case from the bottom of the safe. _I_ _could_ _have put a bullet in Martin’s fucking head and this would have never happened._ He growled, the noise seeming to echo in the confined space of the closet.

 

He placed his service weapon and their tasers back into the safe and closed it before picking up the case and walking out of the closet. He flicked the lights off as he stepped back into the bedroom and once again avoided looking at the bed. The scent of his family lingered in his nose as he entered the living room and flicked on the lights, putting the case down on the dinner table. 

 

His phone vibrated in his pocket once again, demanding his attention. Nick raised his an eyebrow at the caller ID.

 

“Fru, this is not a good time,” he said into the phone after pressing the answer button. He held the phone between his shoulder and cheek as he undid the latches on the weapon case. 

 

“I know Nicky. Look, Daddy wants to speak with you,” Fru said hurriedly. He could hear the phone being passed to another mammal. 

 

“Nicholas?” came the low raspy voice of Mr. Big.

 

“Mr. Big,” Nick answered. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

 

“I heard about the unfortunate business with your family; very disrespectful, Nicholas. You’re going to get them back?” Mr Big asked.

 

“Working on it right now,” Nick answered as he pulled the weapon case open. Nestled inside the foam lined case sat a matte black paw gun. Nick picked it up; its weight felt familiar in his paw, like an old friend come home.

 

“Good, good; it may not be connected but I have heard rumors of an otter that doesn't smell like an otter asking questions,” Mr Big told him. 

 

Nick paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he pulled back the slide on the gun. It moved freely and smoothly back as he checked the chamber. “This otter wouldn’t have been female and smelled oddly of pine?”

 

“That description does fit what has been told to me,” Mr. Big confirmed. “Do you think it will help in getting back the godmother of my grandkids?”

 

“It's a start,” Nick answered as he released the slide and it shot back forward. He placed the weapon onto the table.

 

“If you need anything, please let us know.”

 

“Thank you Mr. Big. If you hear anything else…..”

 

“Of course it will be passed to you. Now I shall leave you to your task.” 

 

Nick sat his phone down, picked up a box of ammo, and started to load the magazines.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Amanda sighed as she trudged down the hallway to her apartment. She was still drenched from the sudden downpour that had occurred while she’d stood outside the dive bar in the Rainforest District. Her paws left wet prints from the elevator all the way to her door. Her phone rang in her pocket.

 

She pulled it out along with her apartment keys. “This is Amanda.” She answered the phone without even looking at the caller ID.

 

“You were supposed to be looking into that lieutenant of Martin’s not digging more into Wilde’s past,” came the disapproving voice of her handler. She rolled her eyes as her keys jingled in the lock. 

 

“Yeah, sorry, but that guy is a ghost,” she said as she pushed her apartment door open and flicked on the lights as the door closed behind her. 

 

“Lucky for you that _some_ mammals are still able to follow orders and not go on wild hunts,” the voice shot back. “The woodchuck’s name is Allen Monax. He frequents a club in the Downtown District called the Watering Hole.”

 

“That's all well and good, but why are you telling me this if you have the information you were looking for?” Amanda asked as she shucked off her soaking wet pants. 

  
“You know, you really should pay attention to your surroundings more often,” her handler told her. “But then again, you have always been a little on the sloppy side. Maybe an object lesson is in order.” Amanda froze as she reached for the fridge door. 

  
“Don’t worry, we don't think he’s going to kill you,” she vaguely heard her handler say just before a paw closed around her neck. A sudden scream bubbled in her throat but was abruptly cut off as her face forcefully met her freezer door. Her cell phone clattered to the floor as she grabbed at the paw holding her by the throat.  She was forced up on her tiptoes. A low menacing growl filled the air of the kitchenette, and she could feel the hot breath on the backs of her ears of the vulpine behind her. 

 

“You’ve been asking way too many questions.” Her eyes shot open at the menacing voice of Nick Wilde. “It's time for me to ask one of my own.” She felt his paw tighten around her neck. He punctuated each word of his question with slamming her face into her freezer her door. “Where. Is.My.Family?”

  
  



End file.
